Mario Covas Beltway

The Mario Covas Beltway is an urban infrastructure project aimed to improve the quality of life in the São Paulo metropolitan area. It goes beyond a mere civil engineering proposal and is based on a broader concept: “it’s an engineering project that takes the social aspect into consideration. Its main objective is to improve the traffic flow by diverting the traffic in transit, thus leaving the city free for the collective and individual transport.

The Mario Covas Beltway was conceived according to the best and most modern concept as to the State Government’s role: to invest in the development of a sustainable development vector, also in environmental terms. Accordingly, the infrastructure project, apart from generating benefits to the population, acts as a major driver for the region’s development, generating funds for the State that are further invested in other development vectors.

With the Eastern, Western and Southern Sections already completed and the Northern Section about to be concluded, this megaproject spans a total length of 176.5 kilometers and will contribute to significantly reduce the traffic of light and heavy vehicles in the Marginais Tietê and Pinheiros (Tietê and Pinheiros Marginal Highways). The project connects the main access corridors comprised of the Bandeirantes, Anhanguera, Castello Branco, Raposo Tavares, Régis Bittencourt, Imigrantes, Anchieta, Ayrton Senna, Dutra, and Fernão Dias Highways.

RODOANEL OESTE (WESTERN SECTION)

The 32-kilometer Western Section connects the Avenida Raimundo Pereira de Magalhães (former Campinas Road) and the Rodovia Régis Bittencourt (Régis Bittencourt Highway) and was opened in October, 2002.

The west side of São Paulo metropolitan area is the most depressed area of the perimetral road system. The Western Beltway has directly benefited the municipalities of São Paulo, Taboão da Serra, Embu, Cotia, Osasco, Carapicuíba, Barueri, and Santana do Parnaíba, and, indirectly, all municipalities located in the west side of the metropolitan area. It has helped improve the traffic of freight trucks in transit travelling from the country’s south region to the State of Mato Grosso, from the center-west region to the Port of Santos, in addition to facilitating the flow between the north and south sides of the capital city.

Of the ten highways to be connected by the Mario Covas Beltway, five connect with the Western Section: Régis Bittencourt, Raposo Tavares, Castello Branco, Anhanguera, and Bandeirantes.

Characteristics of the Western Section

• 32 kilometers.
• 8 traffic lanes (4 in each direction), shoulder, escape area and median strip.
• 44 overpasses, 6 bridges, 2 drainage systems, 7 cloverleaves and 3 double tunnels: a 1,713-meter tunnel in São Paulo, next to the Ithayê Farm, in the Anhanguera Highway; a 646-meter tunnel close to Alphaville/ Tamboré, in Barueri; and a 469-meter tunnel between the municipalities of Cotia and Embu, next to the Régis Bittencourt Highway.
• 3,100-meter channeling of the Carapicuíba stream.
• Rigid pavement in the main lanes and flexible pavement in the cloverleaves.

SOUTHERN BELTWAY

The Southern Section of the Mario Covas Beltway, which connects the Anchieta, Imigrantes and Régis Bittencourt highways, was opened in March, 2010.

The section connects the Rodovia de Interligação Rodoviária (Road Interconnection Highway) – Mario Covas Beltway – between the Régis Bittencourt Highway (municipality of Embu) and Avenida Papa João XXIII (municipality of Mauá) and crosses the municipalities of Itapecerica da Serra, the far south side of the municipality of São Paulo, São Bernardo do Campo, Santo André, and Ribeirão Pires, stretching over 57 kilometers in the Beltway Section and over 4.4 kilometers in the connection with the municipality of Mauá (environmental counterpart).

The Southern Section facilitates the transport and flow of freight between the country’s central region and the Port of Santos and plays an important economic role by connecting the port to the state and federal transport logistics system.

Environmental Aspects

The section was designed to minimize potential impacts and contribute to the recovery of watershed areas. The project was developed according to advanced engineering techniques to ensure drivers safety, less accidents and a positive environmental balance.

Dam Crossing

To cause the lowest possible impact to the Guarapiranga and Billings dams, DERSA designed the crossings in the narrowest points of the dams and used existing natural resources as supporting bases.

In the Guarapiranga dam, the only crossing was built in its narrowest point, with a length of only 90 meters. Additionally, as a safety measure, the highway is located 13 kilometers away from SABESP’s water collection center.

Yet in the Billings dam, an island serves as the supporting basis for the bridge’s pillars. It was the best solution as it avoided the building of several bases within the dam. Pillars are usually 40 meters away from each other; in this case, the distance is 100 meters. The solution has significantly minimized the interference of the project on the environment, causing little impact on the dam.

Characteristics of the Southern Section

• It’s a “zero” class divided highway with 3 or 4 3.6-meter wide traffic lanes in each direction, a 1-meter safety lane, a 3-meter shoulder and an 11-meter grassy median strip.
• 57 kilometers plus 4.4 kilometers corresponding to the connection section.
• 134 special engineering structures: 34 bridges and 100 overpasses. Highlights are the bridges over the Billings dam, with 1,755 meters in length in each direction.