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With an Investment of R$ 40 Million, Construction of Horseshoe-Shaped Overpass Will Connect MG-030 to BR-356, Diverting Traffic from BH Shopping and Promising to Reduce Travel Time by Up to 50%
A new horseshoe-shaped overpass, planned to directly connect MG-030 to BR-356, heading towards Rio de Janeiro, may begin to be constructed in the first half of 2025, as indicated by the City Hall of Nova Lima.
The project, which is part of a bilateral road complex between the municipalities of Nova Lima and Belo Horizonte, promises to significantly alleviate traffic in the BH Shopping area, one of the most congested points in the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region (RMBH).
New Overpass Is the Solution to One of the Biggest Bottlenecks in RMBH
The project is considered strategic as it offers an alternative route for those traveling between Nova Lima and Belo Horizonte.
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With the construction of the horseshoe overpass, drivers who currently need to access the BH Shopping road complex will be able to go directly from MG-030 to BR-356, heading towards Rio, without having to face the roundabout.
According to previous estimates from the former mayor of Belo Horizonte, Fuad Noman — who passed away in March of this year — the new route is expected to reduce travel time in the area by up to 50%.
“With the interventions completed, the time spent on these stretches will be reduced by around 50%,” he stated.
The Road Complex Involves Four Major Interventions
The construction of the horseshoe structure is just one of four projects outlined in an agreement signed in March 2024 between the city governments of Nova Lima and Belo Horizonte.
Each municipality will be responsible for carrying out two road interventions, which together total an investment of R$ 200 million.
The responsibility for executing the horseshoe lies with the City Hall of Nova Lima. The estimated cost of R$ 40 million will be covered by urban compensation from approved developments in the municipality, as provided for by municipal decree.
Before moving to the execution phase, the project underwent significant adjustments.
In 2023, the original layout was rejected by the State Institute of Forests (IEF), as part of the stretch encroached on the Cercadinho Ecological Station, a preservation area of over 225 hectares located on the border between Belo Horizonte and Nova Lima.
In light of this, the administration of Nova Lima revised the plan.
“Our teams acted quickly, reviewing and adjusting the project to ensure its environmental compliance, obtaining approval from both the IEF and the Department of Highways (DER),” the city said in an official statement.
Contracting for the Overpass Construction Is About to Start
After technical revisions and environmental approval, the project also underwent analysis by the Public Ministry.
The result was a formal agreement that enables the hiring of the company responsible for executing the overpass.
“After a long and productive discussion at the Public Ministry, an agreement was recently reached, which will allow the region’s entrepreneurs association to take the first step in the construction contracting process,” added the municipal Executive.
With the legal and environmental landscape resolved, the expectation is that construction of the horseshoe-shaped overpass will officially begin in the coming weeks — turning an old project into reality and contributing to the improvement of urban mobility in one of the areas most impacted by urban expansion in Greater BH.
