Presidente Dutra Highway expansion reaches 70% completion

Expansion and modernization works on the Presidente Dutra Highway (BR-116) in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region are 70% complete. The project, managed by the concessionaire Ecovias Rio-Minas, is expected to be finished by September 2025.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited the construction sites in Nova Iguaçu to inspect the progress. The total investment for the improvements amounts to R$ 997 million. The works focus on the stretch between Seropédica and the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Key infrastructure upgrades include the implementation of 35.24 km of marginal roads, 89.78 km of additional lanes, 20 pedestrian walkways, and 80 bus stops. The project also features 92 new access points, four connection ramps, a new cloverleaf in Queimados, and improvements to drainage, containment, and safety barriers.

The highway serves as a vital artery connecting Brazil's two largest cities, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and carries approximately 50% of the national GDP. The improvements aim to increase traffic fluidity and safety for both long-distance freight and local commuters.