Highway project ignored for 50 years rises from the ashes and promises to radically transform the region with lots of jobs, tourism and a strong economy; environmental risks, however, terrify experts

It is imagined that a road project, ignored for five decades, could completely change the reality of the South Coast of São Paulo. A highway that, if finally built, promises to change the economic, cultural and tourist game of the entire region, in addition to bringing new hope of employment to thousands of people.

However, at As dreams of progress begin to take shape, serious concerns also arise about the environmental impacts that this work could trigger. But can the benefits really justify the possible harms?

A promise of economic and social progress

After a long 50 years of waiting, the Parelheiros-Itanhaém Highway, which connects the city of Itanhaém to the southern tip of the capital of São Paulo, returns to the center of discussions. This road could, according to project supporters, revolutionize the economic scenario of the region.

“The construction of a new road connection with the Capital would bring numerous economic benefits to the South Coast”, highlighted José Alberto Loio de Loureiro, president of the Itanhaém Commercial Association (ACAI).

The road, just 15 kilometers long, would shorten the travel time between Planalto Paulista and the beaches of the South Coast by half. According to Loureiro, “this connection would strengthen commercial and cultural relations” between Itanhaém and Greater São Paulo and the Sorocaba Region, directly benefiting the local population and encouraging new investments.

Jobs, tourism and development

The promise of creating thousands of jobs is one of the most attractive points of the project. With the completion of the highway, Loureiro expects a significant increase in the flow of tourists and investors, boosting key sectors such as local commerce and the real estate sector.

“With easier access, we expect an increase in the flow of tourists and investors, which, in turn, would boost local commerce and the real estate sector”, projects the president of ACAI. This expectation is nothing new, as the highway is an old demand from the region's population, politicians and businesspeople.

Initially named “Nova Imigrantes”, Parelheiros-Itanhaém would also alleviate traffic on the Anchieta-Imigrantes System, offering an alternative for both tourists and trucks heading to the Port of Santos from regions such as the west of São Paulo, north of Paraná and even Mato Grosso do Sul.

According to the Diário do Litoral website, The Department of Highways (DER) announced this month the reopening of technical and economic feasibility studies for the highway. These studies update analyzes carried out in 2015, but there is still no defined deadline for their completion.

Obstacles and challenges: a history of unfulfilled promises

Not everything, however, is hope and optimism. The Parelheiros-Itanhaém Highway project has a history of unfulfilled promises and controversies. In 2012, the construction company Contern showed interest in building the road, but ended up facing financial difficulties, which resulted in a judicial recovery process, and the contract was never signed.

Additionally, we bring the Parliamentary Front for the Third Track of Imigrantes, in Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo (Alesp), intends to discuss the project in its first post-mid-year break meeting, as committed by the group’s president, Solange Freitas (União). The date of the meeting, however, has not yet been defined.

Environmental debate: risks and resistance

While some see the highway as a gateway to development, others raise serious concerns about environmental risks.

State deputy Mário Maurici de Lima Morais (PT), coordinator of the Parliamentary Front in Defense of the Environment at Alesp, is one of the main opponents of the project. For him, the road “would trigger a process of disorderly occupation of one of the most preserved stretches of the Atlantic Forest, with intense deforestation”.

Maurici argues that the construction of the highway would bring more harm than benefit to the population and the environment, highlighting that the area in question is part of a water source preservation region that supplies Greater São Paulo. Furthermore, the Atlantic Forest is a valuable natural heritage, with few sections still preserved.

For the deputy, “the insistence on building the highway may be related to economic interests, such as real estate speculation in the region”. The idea that a project of this magnitude, which has not been off the ground for 30 years, could now be resumed, suggests, according to him, the influence of hidden economic forces.

The future of the highway: hope or danger?

The clash between development and environmental preservation marks the discussion on the Parelheiros-Itanhaém Highway. On the one hand, we have those who see the road as a unique opportunity for growth and improved lives for the inhabitants of the South Coast. On the other, there are those who fear that this progress will come at a very high cost to the environment and quality life of future generations.

While feasibility studies continue without a defined deadline, the debate promises to remain heated, with pressure from both sides. The question that remains is: to what extent are we willing to sacrifice our natural heritage in the name of development?

Do you believe that the economic benefits brought by the construction of the Parelheiros-Itanhaém Highway outweigh the environmental risks, or should the preservation of the Atlantic Forest be prioritized above all else?