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The Santos-Guarujá underwater tunnel, a R$6 billion project, promises to transform mobility on the coast of São Paulo. The construction, which will be the first of its kind in Latin America, will also have a major economic impact, generating 9 direct and indirect jobs.
The most anticipated project on the coast of São Paulo is finally underway, but few can imagine the transformative impact that a billion-real tunnel could bring to the region.
The project that promises to revolutionize mobility between Santos and Guarujá has begun to take its first steps with recent approval.
However, the true effect of this construction goes far beyond a simple tunnel. Do you know how much this can impact the daily lives of those who live or visit the coast of São Paulo?
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Last Wednesday (23), the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, sanctioned Bill No. 655/2024, which authorizes the construction of the Santos-Guarujá Immersed Tunnel, a public-private partnership (PPP) that involves impressive investments in the order of R$ 6 billion.
The Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo (Alesp) approved the project in early October, consolidating plans for this monumental work, which aims to improve the transport infrastructure of Baixada Santista and drastically reduce travel time between the two cities.
The governor highlighted the importance of the tunnel for the economy and people's daily lives.
According to him, The work will bring a significant change to the lives of residents, enabling them to get home faster and boosting the regional economy.
This is not a simple question of mobility, but a response to a historical demand from the local population and those who visit the coast of São Paulo.
As highlighted by the Secretary of Investment Partnerships, Rafael Benini, the tunnel will make a crossing that previously took around 20 minutes just five minutes.
The project is part of the São Paulo State Investment Partnerships Program (PPI-SP) and is also integrated into the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC), a federal government initiative.
With a forecast of generating 9 thousand direct and indirect jobs, the work promises to stimulate economic growth and open new job opportunities in the region.
The funding will be divided between three fronts: Government of São Paulo, Union and private sector.
Most of the resources, 86%, will come from public contributions, equally distributed between the state and federal governments.
An unprecedented underwater tunnel in Latin America
O Santos-Guarujá Immersed Tunnel will be the first of its kind to be built in Latin America, with a total length of 1,5 km, of which 870 meters will be submerged.
This structure will allow the traffic of passenger vehicles, buses, trucks and even cyclists and pedestrians, thanks to the inclusion of cycle lanes and space for walking..
This detail of the project makes the work even more special, as it meets different mobility needs, promoting the integration of transport modes.
The impact on the crossing between the two cities will be immediate. Currently, around 21 vehicles cross the canal between Santos and Guarujá daily using ferries and small boats.
Furthermore, 7,7 cyclists and 7,6 pedestrians use this crossing every day, which demonstrates the importance of a more modern and efficient infrastructure.
The tunnel will be a definitive solution to a problem that affects thousands of people every day., representing a true revolution in logistics in the region.
Next steps and challenges
Despite the grandeur of the project, there are still obstacles to be overcome before construction begins.
A new tunnel layout will be presented next Monday (28) to residents of the Macuco neighborhood, in Santos, by the State Government, which is also awaiting approval of the Environmental Impact Study and Environmental Impact Report (EIA-Rima).
The environmental license is a crucial step towards making the project viable, and authorities hope to have all the documentation ready to forward to the Federal Court of Auditors (TCU) by December.
The bidding process is also already scheduled.
The Public-Private Partnership notice for the construction, operation and maintenance of the tunnel is expected to be published in the second quarter of 2025, with the auction taking place in the second half of the same year.
If everything goes as planned, construction work could begin soon, finally bringing a decades-old dream to reality for the people of Baixada Santista.
Essential partnerships
In addition to the Government of São Paulo, other important actors are involved in carrying out this monumental work.
The Ministry of Ports and Airports, the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq), the Port Authority of Santos (APS) and the São Paulo State Transportation Agency (Artesp) are key players in this complex execution process..
Cooperation between these bodies will ensure that the work follows best practices and meets the highest standards of safety and efficiency.
Through this cooperation, the tunnel is expected to improve not only urban mobility, but also the flow of goods, facilitating the transportation of cargo between the Port of Santos and the rest of the state.
With the increase in logistical demand in the coming years, this work could play a vital role in the economic development of the state and, consequently, the country.
The regional impact
In the end, the Santos-Guarujá tunnel will not just be an infrastructure project.
It will be a milestone for the development of the coast of São Paulo, transforming the daily lives of thousands of people and opening up new economic prospects for the region.
The coast of São Paulo will become even more attractive to investors and tourists, strengthening the local economy.
But will the impact of this project be felt in other regions of Brazil? What does the future hold for other states with high infrastructure demands? These questions could guide discussions about national development in the coming years.
