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Traditional crossing in northern Goiás will be replaced by a fixed bridge on GO-338, in a project involving million-dollar investment, change in regional mobility, and direct impact for drivers, rural producers, and municipalities that depend on the connection over the Rio das Almas.
The construction of a concrete bridge over the Rio das Almas, on GO-338, is expected to end the dependence on the Júlia Ferry for the connection between São Luiz do Norte and Goianésia, in Goiás.
With 280 meters in length, an estimated investment of R$ 20.5 million, and scheduled delivery for 2026, the project is conducted by the Government of Goiás, according to the Goiana Infrastructure and Transport Agency, Goinfra.
Funded with resources from the State Infrastructure Fund, Fundeinfra, the intervention aims to transform a river crossing into a permanent road connection in northern Goiás.
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According to the official forecast, the new fixed passage should serve drivers, workers, rural producers, and services that depend on crossing the Rio das Almas to circulate between municipalities in the region.
Bridge on GO-338 changes crossing between municipalities
In place of the Júlia Ferry, currently used by vehicles to cross the river, the bridge will create a direct connection between the two sides of GO-338.
When the structure is ready, the movement will no longer depend on boarding, waiting, and disembarking, stages that are part of the river operation and influence the routine of those who need to cross.
According to Goinfra, the project is located on GO-338 and connects São Luiz do Norte to the Goianésia region, also affecting neighboring districts and municipalities.
Besides the two cities directly linked by the crossing, the agency points out benefits for Hidrolina, Itapaci, and Pilar de Goiás, which are part of the regional flow of people, services, and production.
In areas where there are few available routes, a fixed connection usually has a greater impact on daily circulation, especially when the crossing depends on river conditions.
In the case of the Rio das Almas, the bridge tends to reduce bottlenecks in local mobility and provide more predictability to the traffic of passenger vehicles, trucks, machinery, and services.
Project advances with simultaneous fronts
On the construction sites, teams are working on different stages at the same time, including embankments on the banks, production of girders, and fixing the foundation reinforcement.
These services are part of the structural preparation of the bridge, which needs to support road traffic and maintain stability in an area subject to river level variation.
Key components for distributing the weight of vehicles over the future columns, the girders are among the central elements of the construction.
According to Goinfra, the division of work fronts aims to anticipate concreting still during the dry season, before the phase when rains may raise the Rio das Almas.
The president of Goinfra, Pedro Sales, stated that the strategy is to advance the infrastructure executed on the ground, such as the concreting of the girders, while the foundation reinforcement is prepared.
To prevent the flooding of the Rio das Almas from halting the work, the continuation of the stages during the rainy season may occur with nautical support, as informed by the agency.
Investment in the bridge over the Rio das Almas
According to Goinfra, the estimated value for the bridge is R$ 20.5 million, within the investment allocated for the new crossing over the Rio das Almas.
In May 2025, the state government signed the service order for the construction of the structure on GO-338, in São Luiz do Norte.
On the occasion, the project was presented within a package of infrastructure investments for the municipality, focusing on improving access and regional connections.
Among the announced interventions, the bridge stood out for replacing a historic crossing with a continuous road connection on a route used by residents and producers.
The Goinfra notice also records the construction of the bridge over the Rio das Almas, on GO-338, with an extension of 280 meters and a value of R$ 20,513,597.20.
In the document, the object appears related to the section between the junction of GO-481 and the junction of BR-153, in São Luiz do Norte.
Regional security and logistics
For those who frequently cross the Rio das Almas, the replacement of the ferry with a fixed bridge should alter the organization of daily commutes.
While crossing by boat depends on operational and environmental conditions, the concrete structure creates a permanent route for local and intermunicipal traffic.
Goinfra states that the work should improve regional logistics, facilitate the flow of agro-industrial production, and enhance safety in the circulation of people, especially during the rainy season.
Also according to the agency, communities using the connection between municipalities in the region await the delivery of the bridge due to the importance of the route for local mobility.
With the fixed connection, economic activities that depend on the circulation of supplies, workers, and cargo should gain more regularity in access between the municipalities.
In sections served by ferry, waiting and operational capacity can influence travel time, especially for producers, service providers, and drivers who make repeated trips.
Ferry Júlia will no longer be the main connection
A symbol of the current crossing over the Rio das Almas, the Ferry Júlia will be replaced as the main means of vehicle crossing on GO-338.
With the delivery of the bridge, the connection will no longer function solely as a river operation and will become part of the state’s permanent road infrastructure.
This change reduces dependence on a solution subject to river conditions and reorganizes the connection between São Luiz do Norte, Goianésia, and neighboring municipalities.
Although it does not have the size of the major national bridges, the 280-meter structure can have a significant impact on communities that rely on a direct route.
The expected effect impacts access to work, commerce, public services, and productive areas, central points for those traveling between both sides of the Rio das Almas.
With delivery scheduled for 2026, the work fronts remain focused on the structural stages necessary to erect the bridge, prepare the accesses, and enable the definitive replacement of the Ferry Júlia.
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