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Lula Reaches Agreement With Governor, Brazil’s First Underwater Tunnel of R$ 6 Billion Is Closer to Becoming a Reality to Generate 9,000 Jobs

Written by Alisson Ficher
Published on 14/02/2025 at 15:32
Acordo entre Lula e Tarcísio viabiliza túnel submerso Santos-Guarujá, investimento de R$ 6 bilhões promete revolucionar a Baixada Santista.
Acordo entre Lula e Tarcísio viabiliza túnel submerso Santos-Guarujá, investimento de R$ 6 bilhões promete revolucionar a Baixada Santista.
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After Decades Of Waiting, The First Submerged Tunnel In Brazil, Linking Santos And Guarujá, Is About To Become A Reality. With An Investment Of R$ 6 Billion And The Promise Of Generating 9 Thousand Jobs, The Historical Work Promises To Transform Mobility And The Economy Of The Baixada Santista. Discover How This Revolutionary Initiative Is About To Change The Regional Scenario.

After Decades Of Expectations And Promises, The Dry Link Between Santos And Guarujá Is About To Become A Reality.

The Construction Of The First Submerged Tunnel In Brazil, A R$ 6 Billion Project, Is Progressing Significantly, Promising To Transform The Mobility And Economy Of The Baixada Santista.

According To Information From The Newspaper Folha De S. Paulo, President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva (PT) And The Governor Of São Paulo, Tarcísio De Freitas (Republicans), Reached A Historic Agreement To Enable The Work.

The Agreement Foresees That The São Paulo Government Will Conduct The Bidding Process, With Costs Equally Divided Between Federal And State Levels.

The Expectation Is That The Bid Will Be Published In The Second Quarter Of 2025, With The Auction Occurring In The Second Half Of The Same Year.

The Bidding Will Be In The Format Of A Public-Private Partnership (PPP), Allowing For Private Sector Investments In The Project As Well.

Impact On Regional Mobility And Economy

Currently, Over 21 Thousand Vehicles Make The Crossing Between Santos And Guarujá Daily Via Ferries And Smaller Vessels.

Additionally, About 7.7 Thousand Cyclists And 7.6 Thousand Pedestrians Depend On This Service. Ferries Face Constant Traffic Jams, Especially During Peak Hours, And Frequently Report Operational Failures.

With The Construction Of The Tunnel, It Is Expected That Travel Time Will Be Reduced To Just A Few Minutes, Eliminating Lines And Optimizing The Logistics Flow Of The Largest Port In Latin America.

The Project Is Also Seen As Essential To Boost Tourism And The Economy Of The Region, Making It Easier For Visitors To Access And Improving The Flow Of Port Production.

Furthermore, A Significant Impact On The Real Estate Market Is Expected, With Increased Value For Areas Near The Construction And Growth Of New Commercial Opportunities.

Features Of The Submerged Tunnel

The Tunnel Will Have A Total Length Of 1.5 Km, With 870 Meters Underwater, Allowing For The Traffic Of Passenger Vehicles, Public Transport, And Trucks.

Unlike Bridges Or Elevated Viaducts, This Technology Is Considered Safer For Navigation As It Avoids The Need To Interrupt Maritime Traffic In The Port Of Santos, One Of The Busiest In The World.

The Structure Will Also Feature A Bike Lane And Space For Pedestrians, Ensuring Accessibility And Promoting More Sustainable Mobility.

The Technique Chosen For The Construction Of The Tunnel Will Be That Of Precast Segments That Will Be Installed On The Bed Of The Canal And Then Connected.

This Methodology Is Widely Used In Countries Like Denmark, China, And Japan, Allowing For Less Environmental Impact And Faster Execution.

Job Creation And Economic Development

The Construction Of The Tunnel Is Estimated At Approximately R$ 6 Billion, With Funds Coming From The Government Of São Paulo, The Union, And The Private Sector.

The Project Is Expected To Generate About 9 Thousand Direct And Indirect Jobs, Boosting The Economic Development Of The Baixada Santista.

Additionally, It Is Expected That The Tunnel Will Provide More Safety And Predictability For The Logistics Of The Port Of Santos, Avoiding The Impacts Of Disruptions Caused By Operational Issues With The Ferries.

History Of Attempts And Challenges

The Idea Of A Dry Link Between Santos And Guarujá Is A Century-Old Demand From The Local Population.

In 2014, Dersa Canceled A Bid For The Construction Of The Tunnel Due To Obstacles With The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Related To Consortium Formation.

Since Then, The Project Has Gone Through Various Revisions And Negotiations Until Reaching The Current Consensus Between State And Federal Governments.

In The 1970s And 1990s, Several Studies Pointed To The Viability Of Bridges And Tunnels, But The Strategic Location Of The Port Of Santos Always Presented An Obstacle To A Project That Did Not Compromise Maritime Traffic.

The Submerged Tunnel Format Was Chosen Exactly To Overcome This Challenge.

Another Critical Point In Making The Project Viable Was The Environmental Issue.

The Baixada Santista Houses Important Preservation Areas, And Any Major Work Needs To Undergo Rigorous Environmental Impact Studies.

To Ensure The Environmental Viability Of The Project, Mitigation Measures Will Be Implemented, Including Ecological Compensations And Monitoring Of Local Fauna And Flora.

Next Steps And Expectations

With The Agreement Reached, The Expectation Is That The PPP Bid Will Be Published In The Second Quarter Of 2025, With The Auction Scheduled For The Second Half Of The Same Year.

The Initial Estimate Is That The Construction Will Take Approximately Five Years To Complete, With Potential Adjustments To The Timeline Depending On Any Technical Or Environmental Challenges.

Today, The Construction Of The Tunnel Is Seen As A Milestone For The State’s Infrastructure And A Victory For Both Tarcísio De Freitas, Who Seeks To Consolidate His Management With Major Works, And For Lula, Who Reinforces His Presence In A Key State For The 2026 Elections.

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Alisson Ficher

Jornalista formado desde 2017 e atuante na área desde 2015, com seis anos de experiência em revista impressa, passagens por canais de TV aberta e mais de 12 mil publicações online. Especialista em política, empregos, economia, cursos, entre outros temas e também editor do portal CPG. Registro profissional: 0087134/SP. Se você tiver alguma dúvida, quiser reportar um erro ou sugerir uma pauta sobre os temas tratados no site, entre em contato pelo e-mail: alisson.hficher@outlook.com. Não aceitamos currículos!

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