Brazil's ENMU proposes transport upgrades for São Luís and Salvador

The National Urban Mobility Study (ENMU), conducted by BNDES and the Ministry of Cities, outlines a series of high‑capacity public‑transport projects for Brazil’s largest metropolitan areas. In São Luís, Maranhão, the study foresees a 53‑km network of bus corridors and electric BRT or light‑rail lines, requiring investments of R$2.05‑5.40 billion and serving an estimated 880,750 passengers per day. Projected benefits include a 14 % reduction in average travel time, avoidance of 602 traffic fatalities annually and significant cuts in CO₂ emissions.

For the Salvador Metropolitan Region, ENMU projects a 171‑km expansion that could accommodate up to 1.3 million daily passengers. The plan calls for investments of R$11.47‑13.14 billion and includes extensions of the metro, multiple VLT lines and BRT corridors. Expected outcomes are a 4 % travel‑time reduction, avoidance of 210 traffic deaths, and an annual decrease of 103.8 kt of CO₂. Across 21 metros, the study catalogs 187 projects covering more than 3,000 km of rail, BRT and light‑rail, with potential to generate over one million jobs and mobilise thousands of electric buses and rail vehicles.