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Strategic section of Via Dutra gains new operational stage, with illuminated viaducts, capacity expansion, and planned interventions to tackle historical bottlenecks between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
On June 25, 2026, RioSP, a Motiva company, opened to traffic the first phase of the New Serra das Araras, on the Presidente Dutra Highway, BR-116, between Piraí and Paracambi, in the South of Rio de Janeiro State.
With the opening, four kilometers of the new uphill lane began operating, towards São Paulo, along with eight illuminated viaducts in one of the most complex points of the road connection between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
About 390 thousand vehicles per month travel through the section, according to the concessionaire, with 36% of the volume consisting of freight transport, a figure that underscores the importance of Serra das Araras for national logistics.
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Started in April 2024, the construction reached approximately 70% physical progress and aims to reduce historical limitations caused by curves, inclines, and operational restrictions that have pressured circulation on Via Dutra for years.
New uphill lane alters traffic towards São Paulo
In the opened stage, the intervention focuses on part of the new uphill lane, used by drivers heading towards São Paulo in a section marked by difficult terrain and heavy vehicle flow.
The opening of the four kilometers and the eight viaducts allows the concessionaire to operate a broader, illuminated structure suitable to the demands of a corridor used daily by cars, buses, and trucks.
According to RioSP, this first opening anticipates gains in safety, fluidity, and operational capacity before the complete conclusion of the New Serra das Araras, still under construction in both directions of the highway.
Expected to permanently increase the capacity of BR-116, the complete project will have four lanes and shoulders in each direction, representing eight lanes in total on the mountain.
The intervention also includes 24 new viaducts, two escape ramps, and lighting throughout the entire length, measures announced by the concessionaire as part of the modernization of one of the most strategic sections of Via Dutra.
Serra das Araras Project is part of the New PAC
In addition to being part of the concession operated by RioSP, Nova Serra das Araras is part of the New Growth Acceleration Program, the New PAC, within the federal package aimed at transport infrastructure.
According to Agência Brasil, the project includes an investment of R$ 1.5 billion from the federal government and is executed by Motiva through the concessionaire responsible for the operation of Via Dutra.
Along with the viaducts, additional lanes, and escape ramps, the planning also includes three footbridges, reinforcing the reorganization of the road structure in a crucial region for transport between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
Another detail reported by Agência Brasil is the expected speed of 80 km/h in the section, a change associated with the expectation of improving the operational performance of the highway after the completion of the interventions.
With the work completed, the estimated reduction is 25% in travel time uphill, towards São Paulo, and 50% downhill, towards Rio de Janeiro.
Logistics corridor concentrates high cargo flow
Due to the mountainous terrain, the Araras region poses constant challenges to engineering, road operation, and the circulation of heavy vehicles, especially during periods of higher traffic on the Rio-São Paulo connection.
The combination of intense traffic, a significant presence of trucks, and a winding layout has made this section a sensitive point in the federal network, with a direct impact on drivers, transporters, and supply chains.
In this scenario, increasing capacity is not limited to creating new lanes, as the project combines safety structures, lighting, and special works of art to reorganize the operation of the mountain.
The escape ramps planned in the project are intended for emergency situations, especially on downhill sections, while full lighting aims to enhance safety and visibility during nighttime operations.
For high-traffic logistics corridors, more predictability in traffic can reduce the impacts of slowdowns, blockages, and accidents on delivery deadlines, transportation costs, and daily commutes for those using the highway.
Rock reuse enters the execution of the work
On-site, the project also incorporated environmental measures related to the construction process, including a crushing plant installed to reuse rock fragments generated during excavations and detonations carried out in the mountain.
After undergoing crushing and screening, this material achieves suitable characteristics for use in the highway’s own inputs, such as concrete, asphalt, drainage, and pipes, according to information released by Agência Brasil.
According to the report, the reuse of rock waste in the project is complete, which reduces the need for external disposal and utilizes materials generated within the construction site itself.
The environmental actions also include monitoring of fauna and flora, rescue of plant species, and care for animals found in the intervention areas, measures associated with the execution of works in mountainous areas.
Since the beginning of the work in April 2024, more than 40 plant species have been identified and over 500 specimens rescued, according to data provided by Agência Brasil.
Final set still depends on new deliveries
Although the first stage is already in operation, the Nova Serra das Araras is still under execution, as the release of the four kilometers of the uphill lane represents only part of a larger project on BR-116.
The delivered stage allows observation of part of the planned design for the new highway, but the broader impacts will depend on the completion of viaducts, lanes, shoulders, walkways, escape ramps, and other planned interventions.
With 390,000 vehicles per month, a strong presence of trucks, and a central role in the connection between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, will the Nova Serra das Araras be able to deliver the fluidity and safety expected by drivers and transporters?
