Portuguese 
A visible gap in the pavement of a BR-101 overpass in Pernambuco drew attention from drivers, garnered social media attention, and led DNIT to explain the structure’s function and carry out maintenance on the section.
A visible gap in the pavement of the Directional Overpass at km 82.01 of BR-101/PE, in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, in the Greater Recife area, caught the attention of drivers in April 2026.
Videos taken by drivers showed a gap that resembled a large crack and raised concerns about the safety of the structure.
The images began circulating widely on social media around April 10.
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In some recordings, the gap appeared to be nearly the width of a hand, while vehicles slowed down to cross the area.
The National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT), however, clarified that the space shown in the recordings corresponds to an expansion joint of the overpass and stated that the observed condition did not pose a structural risk.
The case gained further attention because the overpass is located on a busy stretch of the BR-101, in the Prazeres area, near the City Park and well-known establishments in the area.
Gap in the BR-101 Overpass Alarmed Drivers
For those crossing the area without knowledge of the structure, the appearance of the gap immediately drew attention.
Drivers began to reduce speed before crossing the gap, particularly because the height difference could be felt as the tires passed over it.
One driver expressed concern both when crossing slowly and when maintaining a higher speed.
“If I go slow, I get honked at. If I go too fast, it disrupts steering and balance of the tires. Besides the risk that it could collapse someday, it’s a disaster waiting to happen,” he told TV Jornal.
Fears of a possible collapse spread among highway users, fueled by the videos.
Nevertheless, DNIT did not confirm the existence of such a risk.
According to the federal agency, the element that appeared to be a crack in the images was an expansion joint built into the structure.
What is the expansion joint seen in the overpass?
Expansion joints are part of bridges and overpasses because concrete and other materials undergo slight dimensional variations.
Temperature, structural movement, and forces exerted by traffic can cause expansion and contraction of materials.
Thus, certain sections are not necessarily constructed as a completely continuous surface.
The joint creates a controlled space that allows for these movements without improperly transferring forces to other parts of the structure.
In the case of the Directional Overpass on BR-101, DNIT stated that the gap reported by drivers was intentional and calculated by engineers.
However, this does not mean that the passage of vehicles over that point could not cause discomfort.
The department itself acknowledged this issue and indicated that it was studying interventions to improve the roadway conditions.
Metal plate placed over the gap also drew criticism
Following the reaction to the images, a metal plate was installed over the section.
The intervention also became a topic on social media.
In one of the recent recordings, a driver approached the opening, placed part of their arm in the space, and questioned how effective that solution would be in addressing the problem observed on the road.
“How is a piece of aluminum going to hold this up?” they asked.
However, the driver’s interpretation stemmed from the idea that the plate was intended to support the overpass.
DNIT’s explanation was different: the agency did not classify the opening as a structural failure that needed to be supported by the plate, but rather as an expansion joint.
On April 13, 2026, the plate was no longer at the previously recorded spot, and workers from the department were seen at the location.
DNIT had already been monitoring the overpass before the video went viral
Official documents show that the structure had already received technical attention before the recordings gained widespread attention.
On January 19, 2026, nearly three months before the videos went viral, DNIT announced a temporary interruption on the Directional Overpass for topographic surveys and structural monitoring.
Further interventions occurred afterward.
In February and March, the department temporarily halted traffic again to conduct new topographic surveys on the structure.
These records help contextualize the incident: the monitoring of the overpass did not begin only after motorists filmed the gap in April.
DNIT did not report, in the consulted notes, that these earlier surveys identified an imminent risk of collapse.
The overpass is located at kilometer 82.01 of BR-101 in Pernambuco
The structure shown in the videos is officially identified by DNIT as Directional Overpass at kilometer 82.01 of BR-101/PE.
It is located over Parque da Cidade, in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, in the Metropolitan Region of Recife.
This stretch is part of a crucial area for traffic circulation between Recife, Jaboatão, and other municipalities connected by BR-101.
Therefore, any reduction in speed or interruptions can quickly affect traffic flow.
The intense traffic also helped amplify the visibility of the videos: many drivers passing daily by the same point began to record the joint and share their own impressions.
Highway Receives New Maintenance Following Public Reaction
The intervention on the overpass continued throughout April.
On April 22, the DNIT announced a new temporary traffic interruption to continue the topographic survey and carry out maintenance on the road surface of the structure.
The blockage was initially expected to last up to ten hours.
A few days later, on April 25, the agency reported that the interruption would need to extend until the 27th due to heavy rains that hit the region and affected the progress of the maintenance work.
Therefore, although the department ruled out structural risks related to the opening shown in the videos, there were indeed subsequent works specifically on the road surface of the overpass.
This distinction is significant: an expansion joint can be part of the original design of the structure and, still, the surface used by vehicles may require maintenance to mitigate impacts, unevenness, or discomfort during transit.
The episode illustrates how a lesser-known engineering detail can take on a new dimension when seen directly from the roadway.
For many drivers, the opening appeared to be an alarming crack.
For DNIT, it was a joint designed to allow movement of the structure, with no risk of collapse under the conditions verified by the agency.
Ultimately, the video that began with a view of the opening from the steering wheel also brought public attention to the monitoring and maintenance efforts taking place on one of the busiest sections of BR-101 in Pernambuco.
