Santos Guarujá Bridge project faces criticism

The bridge project that will link the two banks of the Port of Santos with Guarujá and its environmental impacts are both being discussed by the Environmental State Council (Consema) in a public hearing.

Currently, the proposal is analyzed by the Environmental State Department to obtain an environmental license. The expectation is that, if approved, the endorsement will be issued in February of next year.

Aired more than 90 years ago, the project has had different opinions. In one hand, in favor of the bridge, are the Paulista Government and Ecovias. On the other hand, against the bridge, are terminal operators from the Port of Santos.

Ecovias, a concessionaire that runs the Anchieta-Imigrantes System, expressed an interest in carrying out the project in exchange for the extension of its concession agreement, which in principle expires in 2026. The construction of the bridge is estimated at R$2.9bn.

The bridge

In the proposal presented by Ecovias, the bridge will be about 7.5 kilometers long, starting at the entrance of Santos, at km 64 of Via Anchieta, and near the access to Barnabé Island, in the Continental Area of ​​Santos, about 500 meters from the toll plaza of Guarujá, at km 250 of the Canne Domênico Rangoni Highway.

The main span of the bridge will be 85 meters high and 325 meters wide between the pillars. The measures are requirements from the State Government to make the activities at the Baixada Santista Metropolitan Airport (at Santos Air Base) feasible and not to impact port operations.

However, the Santos Port Authority (Codesp) has already positioned itself against the venture. And it has been accompanied by entities representing companies in the sector, who ask for more information about the bridge.

The Port Authority says that the structure could make the expansion of the Port unfeasible. The state also points out that the project interferes in the basin of evolution in the region and advocates the construction of a tunnel linking the two banks of the complex.

As an alternative, Docas points out the possibility of building a submerged tunnel capable of interconnecting the two banks of the Santos quay. The idea is that the project, which already has approved environmental licensing, is built between the Cais de Outeirinhos and Vicente de Carvalho, about 21 meters deep.

A tunnel was already considered a few years ago by state and federal officials. However, the high cost and lack of resources made the project go unnoticed.

While the bridge is budgeted at R$2.9bn, the tunnel should cost around R$3.2bn. The first venture should be built in 36 months. The submerged tunnel needs 40 months of works.

Sources: A Tribuna and Valor

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