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With R$7 billion invested, BR-101 will undergo the biggest transformation in its history. 221 km will be widened, safety will be improved and thousands of jobs will be created. However, higher tolls are already raising concerns. Will progress come at a high price for drivers? Discover all the details of this historic project that promises to change the infrastructure of Espírito Santo.
Get ready for one of the biggest transformations ever seen on a Brazilian highway.
With a billion-dollar investment and the promise of economic development, duplication da BR 101 in Espírito Santo comes loaded with expectations.
However, alongside this progress comes a growing concern: the financial impact that this modernization will have on drivers.
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The project, which promises to expand road infrastructure and generate thousands of jobs, will also provoke a considerable increase in toll fees, raising an intense debate about accessibility and economic justice. Will the benefits outweigh the costs?
The billion-dollar project and its impacts
The BR-101 duplication project foresees the modernization of 221 kilometers of the highway, with a total investment of R$7,07 billion.
The work will be carried out by Eco101, the concessionaire responsible for the highway, which will have its concession contract extended for another 10 years.
According to Federal Court of Auditors (TCU), the project's main objective is to improve the safety and efficiency of the highway, which is one of the busiest and most important in the country.
In the first three years of construction, the forecast is that 96 km will be duplicated.
In addition, the plan includes the construction of two new road bypasses in Ibiraçu e Fundão, in Espírito Santo, with a total of more than 15 km of new tracks.
These bypasses should ease traffic, reduce travel times and improve safety for both drivers and pedestrians.
However, the Linhares road bypass, initially planned, was excluded from the project due to the lack of environmental licensing.
Minister Walton Alencar Rodrigues, from TCU, highlighted that there is a possibility of future inclusion of the Linhares bypass, which could extend the Eco101 contract for up to 40 years.
Toll increase: who pays the bill?
One of the main controversies surrounding the duplication of BR-101 is the significant increase in toll rates.
From the sixth month of works, the toll on single lanes will increase from R$0,05525 to R$0,071 per kilometer traveled.
With the completion of the duplication and the reclassification to double lanes, the fare could reach R$ 0,156 per kilometer driven until 2034.
This means that, for every 100 km traveled on dual carriageways, the driver could pay up to R$16,55.
This increase is of particular concern to truck drivers and workers who depend on the highway daily for cargo transportation or routine travel.
According to infrastructure experts, the model adopted could create excessive dependence on the private sector for highway maintenance, while at the same time burdening low-income drivers.
Critics also point out that the fare hike could make access to the highway inaccessible to some groups, especially truck drivers.
On the other hand, Eco101 argues that the adjustment in tariffs is necessary to make investments viable and guarantee the quality of the infrastructure.
Jobs and economic development with the highway
Despite criticism, the duplication of BR-101 promises a positive impact on the job market and the local economy.
The project foresees the creation of 102.464 jobs, divided as follows:
- 34 thousand direct jobs;
- 16 thousand indirect;
- 52 thousand jobs generated by indirect economic impacts.
According to the TCU, these jobs will contribute to the development of cities close to the highway, stimulating sectors such as commerce and services.
Furthermore, the modernization of the highway promises to reduce accident rates, increase safety and speed up the transportation of goods, aspects that can benefit both the regional and national economy.
For Eco101, the financial return will come not only from tariffs, but also from the greater operational efficiency of the highway.
The concessionaire highlights that the improvements will help reduce maintenance and accident costs, in addition to optimizing users' travel time.
Controversies and criticisms of the adopted model
Although the modernization of BR-101 is celebrated by many, the project is not without its criticisms.
Experts question the extension of the Eco101 concession contract, which went from 25 years to up to 40 years, if the Linhares bypass is included in the future.
Critics argue that this extension prioritizes the interests of the concessionaire over drivers, who will face higher fares until the 2040s.
Furthermore, there are concerns about the concession model, which concentrates control of essential highways in the hands of the private sector.
Despite this, Eco101 argues that the extension of the contract is necessary to ensure that the works are completed on time and that the expected benefits are delivered to the population.
The future of BR-101
With a billion-dollar investment and promises of modernization, BR-101 is about to enter a new era of road infrastructure.
The duplication and improvements to the highway can transform mobility in Espírito Santo, bringing significant economic and social benefits.
However, the costs associated with these changes raise questions about who will actually benefit.
As the project moves forward, drivers and experts continue to debate whether the price of progress will be affordable for everyone.
Will drivers be willing to pay more for a safer, more modern road? Or will high tolls limit access to BR-101 for part of the population?
Tax money thrown in the trash. As long as we are talking about highways instead of railways, only one thing is certain: they will continue to spend a lot and badly!!!
Meanwhile, in China, high-speed trains cross the entire country at affordable prices at 350 km/h.
Yet another work that will be left half-finished, the transposition of São Francisco is proof of that.
Are you sure about what you're talking about or are you just a repository of your own nonsense without any knowledge of the subject?
It has already been completed on several fronts, but the evil and inhuman mischief of love and democracy has closed the water!
I don't understand, the highway was handed over to Eco 101 and in the first contract it was stated to be delivered in 2023, the duplication from one border to the other, they collected a lot and did almost nothing, so they reformed the contract and extended the deadline, now they come with this talk of begging and modernizing as if it had never been privatized? As if it were something new?
This project is another lie, all the money will be stolen and it will be like BR 470 in SC, which has been a drain on public money for decades.
Comrade, the BR 101 revolution has already begun since 2003... BR 101 northeast has already been duplicated for some time from the city of Estancia in Sergipe to Natal RN... currently approximately 800 km of duplication. Currently the section that connects Estancia to Feira de Santana BA is underway and already well advanced approximately another 300 km of duplication... without a single toll.
Recently, between 23/11/2024 and 10/12/2024, I traveled the route between Morro de São Paulo-BA and Naral-RN and passed through several sections, with plans for duplication on BR 101, started but completely abandoned!