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The largest duplication viaduct of SC-108, with 80 meters of extension, progresses in the works between Guaramirim and Massaranduba, in the north of Santa Catarina. According to information from NSC, the structure is the largest among the seven viaducts planned for the expansion of the highway and is being built at the intersection with SC-415, which provides access to São João do Itaperiú and Barra Velha, in a strategic section parallel to BR-101 between Joinville and Blumenau.
Infrasul, the company contracted for the duplication works, recorded the construction progress in a video published this Monday on social media, showing the size of the structure that is beginning to take shape over the road intersection. The duplicated segment has a total extension of 15.5 kilometers and 31.7% of the work has been completed. Besides the main viaduct of 80 meters, two more viaducts are being executed simultaneously in the same section, along with the bridges over the Itapocu and Putanga rivers. The combination of seven viaducts and bridges over rivers in a 15.5-kilometer segment gives the dimension of the complexity of a duplication that is not just widening the lane, but reconstructing the entire infrastructure of intersections and crossings of the section.
80 meters over the intersection with SC-415
The 80-meter duplication viaduct is being erected at the point where SC-108 crosses SC-415, an intersection that connects traffic between the Joinville-Blumenau axis and the cities of São João do Itaperiú and Barra Velha, on the northern coast. Today, this intersection operates at grade, meaning that vehicles on SC-108 need to stop or slow down for SC-415 traffic to cross. With the duplication, the viaduct will elevate SC-108 over SC-415, eliminating the conflict between the flows and allowing both highways to operate without mutual interruption.
For a highway that serves as an alternative to BR-101 in the most industrialized section of Santa Catarina, each at-grade intersection is a point of congestion and risk of accidents. Trucks transporting goods between Joinville and Blumenau, passenger vehicles accessing the coast, and local traffic from Guaramirim and Massaranduba meet at these intersections, and the elimination of this confluence by the duplication viaduct improves both fluidity and safety.
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The largest among seven planned viaducts
The duplication of SC-108 between Guaramirim and Massaranduba includes the construction of seven overpasses along the 15.5 kilometers of the stretch. The 80-meter one is the largest, but the others also serve the purpose of separating the traffic of the duplicated highway from intersections with local roads and access to neighborhoods and communities. Currently, besides the main overpass, two more are under construction, indicating that the works are advancing on multiple fronts simultaneously.
The strategy of building several overpasses along a relatively short stretch reflects the density of intersections on the route. SC-108 crosses a region with significant urban and industrial occupation, where streets, rural roads, and access to companies cross the highway at short intervals. Duplicating the road without resolving these intersections would only double the traffic speed while maintaining the same points of conflict, nullifying part of the capacity gain. The seven overpasses eliminate these bottlenecks and transform SC-108 into an actual expressway.
Bridges over the Itapocu and Putanga
In addition to the overpasses, the duplication includes the construction of bridges over the Itapocu and Putanga rivers, two watercourses that cut through the stretch between Guaramirim and Massaranduba. The current bridges were designed for the single lane and need to be complemented with new structures to accommodate the second lane of the duplicated highway. Building bridges over rivers adds complexity to the work because it requires foundations in the riverbed, hydraulic studies to avoid altering the water flow, and a schedule that considers flood periods.
The Itapocu River is the main watercourse in the region and crosses several municipalities in northern Santa Catarina before flowing into the sea. The bridge over it needs to be sized not only for road traffic but also to withstand potential floods that raise the water level and exert lateral pressure on the pillars. For the engineers at Infrasul, the simultaneous execution of overpasses and bridges at different points of the stretch requires logistical coordination that ranges from the delivery of concrete and steel to the positioning of cranes and specialized teams at each front.
31.7% execution on the Joinville-Blumenau axis
The 15.5-kilometer stretch between Guaramirim and Massaranduba is 31.7% complete, according to the most recent data from the project. This percentage indicates that the duplication has surpassed the initial phase of earthworks and land preparation and is already advancing in structural elements such as overpasses, bridges, and paving of the new lane. The speed of execution will depend on weather conditions, material delivery, and the complexity of the structures that still need to be completed.
The SC-108 functions as a parallel route to the BR-101 between Joinville and Blumenau, the two largest cities in northern Santa Catarina. For drivers who avoid the tolls and traffic jams of the BR-101, the SC-108 is the most direct alternative, but the single lane and level crossings limit the highway’s capacity and cause queues, especially during peak hours. The duplication with viaducts and bridges will transform the stretch into a road capable of absorbing the region’s growing traffic without the bottlenecks that currently frustrate those who choose this route.
Infrasul and the visual record that shows the scale
Infrasul, the company contracted to carry out the works, published a video this Monday showing the progress of the largest duplication viaduct of the SC-108 seen from above. The images reveal the reinforced concrete structure advancing over the intersection with the SC-415, with pillars already erected and beams positioned to receive the deck of the road. For those who pass by the site daily and see only fences and machines, the aerial record offers the missing perspective to gauge the scale of what is being built.
The publication of the video also serves as an accountability to the population that lives with the closures, detours, and noise of a project of this magnitude. Residents of Guaramirim and Massaranduba have been facing traffic changes for months caused by the simultaneous construction of viaducts, bridges, and earthworks at various points along the stretch. Seeing the structure taking shape in the aerial images turns the patience required by the works into anticipation for the final result.
An 80-meter viaduct that shortens the path between two cities
The largest duplication viaduct of the SC-108 is 80 meters long, advances over the intersection with the SC-415 between Guaramirim and Massaranduba, and is part of a 15.5-kilometer stretch that is 31.7% complete. In total, seven viaducts and bridges over the Itapocu and Putanga rivers make up the project that will transform the alternative to the BR-101 into a real expressway on the axis between Joinville and Blumenau. The Infrasul video shows that the structure is beginning to take shape, and completion will depend on the pace of the next stages.
Do you use the SC-108 between Guaramirim and Massaranduba? Tell us in the comments if you have already noticed the progress of the works, how you assess the impact on traffic during construction, and if the duplication will change your route between Joinville and Blumenau. We want to hear about your experience.
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