Santos-Guarujá Tunnel: Change in designated route reduces impact on locals

The proposed route for the Santos-Guarujá underwater tunnel project, which initially included a binary road between Avenida Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves and Rua José do Patrocínio in the Macuco neighborhood of Santos, will be replaced with a less disruptive solution for local residents. This was confirmed by Raquel França Carneiro,  a director under the State Secretariat for Partnerships and Investments (SPI), in an interview with A Tribuna. Residents have urged that the construction zone be isolated to minimize disruptions for property owners whose homes will not be subject to expropriation.

Why was the binary road plan scrapped?

In May, we submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA-Rima) to Cetesb (Environmental Company of São Paulo), which included the binary road proposal between Rodrigues Alves and José do Patrocínio streets. However, after receiving feedback from Macuco residents proposing a ‘superblock’ solution, we revised the tunnel’s designed route.

What is the superblock?

Residents suggested a ‘glass dome’ concept, which involves segregating a superblock between Rua José do Patrocínio, Avenida Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves, and Avenida Senador Dantas to serve as a construction site. This aims to prevent trucks from passing in front of homes that will not be expropriated, reducing concerns about potential structural damage, such as cracks, in these older properties. After discussions with the Macuco community and the federal government, we determined that the superblock approach would be safer and less disruptive for the neighborhood.

What are the next steps?

We plan to finalize and present the superblock route during a working group meeting next Tuesday. This working group includes representatives from the federal government (via the Ministry of Ports and Airports, the National Waterway Transport Agency—Antaq, and the Santos Port Authority—APS), the São Paulo state government (through the Secretariat for Partnerships and Investments and the São Paulo State Transport Agency—Artesp). On October 28, we will present the new route to Macuco residents. The binary road will be replaced with the superblock design, which is deemed the best option by all stakeholders.

Why did the state raise the initial expropriation offer from R$ 2,300 to R$ 10,000 per square meter?

During the first public hearing in April, the initial offer was R$ 2,300 per square meter. Following requests from residents and further discussions within the working group, we conducted property value studies in surrounding neighborhoods. As a result, we raised the offer to R$ 10,000 per square meter, including the expropriation amount and compensation to ensure residents can obtain similar or better housing within Santos. This new figure was presented to the working group on July 31 and subsequently to the São Paulo State Public Prosecutor’s Office. All parties agreed upon the revised figure, officially published on September 12.

What happens after these final adjustments to the Santos-Guarujá tunnel project?

While the public hearings have concluded, dialogue with local governments and residents continues. We are incorporating all feedback into the updated public-private partnership (PPP) study and the EIA-Rima for environmental licensing. We will update the project documentation at next week’s working group meeting. The goal is for the state to submit the revised materials to the working group by October 31, with a plan to file them with the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) in December. We aim to publish the tender in the second quarter of 2025 and hold the auction in August 2025.

Source: A Tribuna

Original article text at: https://www.atribuna.com.br/noticias/portomar/tunel-santos-guaruja-alterac-o-no-tracado-reduz-impacto-a-populac-o-local-entenda-1.438426

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