Portuguese 
Spanish 
Works advance in Serra das Araras with new detonations, scheduled blockages, and structural changes that promise to expand the capacity of Via Dutra, reduce travel time, and enhance safety in one of the busiest road sections between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
The construction of the New Serra das Araras on Via Dutra has entered a new phase of controlled rock dismantling, an operation that requires temporary blockages of the South lane, towards São Paulo, at km 225 of the highway.
According to the schedule released by RioSP, the closures will occur on Monday (20), Tuesday (21), Wednesday (22), and Thursday (23), always from 1 PM to 3 PM, in addition to a new operation on Saturday (25), between 4 PM and 6 PM.
While the teams work on the section, the lane towards Rio de Janeiro will remain open, allowing traffic to continue flowing during the blockage, detonation, technical inspection, and subsequent release of the road in the opposite direction.
-
The largest bridge in São Paulo reaches the decisive “kiss” stage, uniting both sides of the 2.4 km structure over the Tietê River and moving towards the final stretch after an investment of R$ 389 million in SP-333.
-
Switzerland repurposes a military tower from the 1980s and completes a R$ 960 million project at an altitude of 3,000 meters: engineering by Herzog & de Meuron ‘suspended’ a platform 55 meters above a glacier, with materials transported to the summit by cable car and helicopter.
-
Azerbaijan moves a historic mansion weighing 18,000 tons without dismantling a single wall, lifts the structure with 210 hydraulic jacks, slides the building 10.5 meters over steel and concrete tracks, and creates space to widen an avenue, preserving intact a 1908 building that entered the Guinness World Records as the heaviest ever moved.
-
Goodbye, masonry: a trend gaining strength in Brazil transforms construction sites with steel frame, walls that arrive ready-made from the factory, deadlines up to 50% shorter, reduced debris, and a concept inspired by the industrialized construction of the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Detonations alter traffic on Via Dutra
As it concentrates a significant portion of traffic between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Serra das Araras functions as a strategic point on Via Dutra, where temporary interventions can affect private trips, cargo transport, and logistics operations.
Essential for opening the new route, the dismantling removes rock masses located in the path of the future uphill and downhill lanes of Serra das Araras, a section known for sharp curves, steep inclines, and heavy vehicle traffic.
More than just the moment of the explosion, the period reserved by the concessionaire includes the preparation of the blockage, the activation of the charges, the area inspection, and the removal of equipment, steps necessary to ensure the safety of drivers and workers.
Even with the maintenance of flow towards Rio de Janeiro, the blockages towards São Paulo require extra attention, as queue formation may begin before the scheduled detonation time and persist during the inspection.
In case of rain or operational need, the schedule may be altered, which is why RioSP advises users to plan their travel, respect the signage, and follow the instructions of the teams positioned near the closure.
After removal, part of the rocks is processed and reused in the construction itself as gravel and in other stages of the project, a solution that reduces cargo transportation and allows the use of material generated within the site of the new highway.
New Serra das Araras will have eight lanes
When completed, the project will expand the segment to eight lanes, with four in each direction, in addition to shoulders on both sides, replacing the current configuration, consisting of two lanes uphill and two lanes downhill.
With the new geometry, the National Land Transport Agency plans to increase the circulation speed from 40 km/h to 80 km/h, both on the uphill and downhill sections, as well as reduce the time spent by drivers.
According to the official estimate, the route could be 25% faster towards São Paulo and up to 50% shorter on the descent to Rio de Janeiro, where the projected gain will be proportionally greater.
Designed to reorganize traffic in this segment, the project combines capacity increase, route correction, and installation of protective structures, bringing together changes that should alter the experience of those who use the connection between the two states daily.
Budgeted at R$ 1.5 billion, the intervention includes 24 viaducts, two escape ramps on the descent, improvements in 14 accesses, a service road towards São Paulo, 93 containment structures, three footbridges, and eight bus stops.
Safety and monitoring on the new route
In addition to the physical expansion, the new route will feature lighting along the section and cameras equipped with automatic incident detection technology, resources aimed at speeding up incident response and enhancing traffic monitoring.
By smoothing curves and reorganizing lanes, the project also aims to offer more suitable conditions for trucks, which currently traverse a narrow, winding segment marked by a drop of approximately 400 meters along the mountain.
Responsible for overseeing and supervising the execution, the ANTT has been supervising the project since the service order was signed in April 2024, while the concessionaire RioSP, a company of the Motiva group, conducts the construction fronts and operational procedures.
According to the schedule presented at the beginning of the project, the new uphill lane is expected to be delivered in 2028, while the completion of the downhill lane is scheduled for 2029, timelines that remain as official references available for the project.
How to follow traffic in Serra das Araras
To monitor traffic conditions, users can consult the phone and WhatsApp 0800 017 35 36, access the Motiva Rodovias app, or check the official channels of the concessionaire before starting the journey on the stretch.
With new lanes, viaducts, and monitoring systems being implemented, will the transformation of Serra das Araras be able to reduce the historical bottlenecks of the main road connection between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo without transferring the problems to other points?
