Construction begins on the maritime section of the Guaratuba Bridge

The equipment should replace the use of the ferry to cross between the cities of Guaratuba and Matinhos, requalifying the environment for the preservation of the local marine fauna.

On April 30, with the issuance of the Installation License by the Water and Land Institute (IAT), construction began on one of the most eagerly awaited projects in Paraná, the Guaratuba Bridge. The day was marked by the driving of the first pile that will support the structure.

There shall be a total of 64 piles with an average length of 40 meters, 30 of which shall be submerged. Each pile weighs 34 tons. The first pile driving operation was supported by a set of two pile driving rafts equipped with cranes with a lifting capacity of 270 tons each, as well as equipment for carrying out this service, such as vibratory hammers and a drill. In addition to the driving rafts, the work will also include concreting rafts carrying up to eight concrete mixers each, all of which shall be maneuvered by tugboats.

The bridge is a long-standing wish of the local population, linking the cities of Guaratuba and Matinhos, on the state coast, 130 km from the capital Curitiba. It is the result of an investment of R$386.9 million by the Government of Paraná, through the Department of Roads and Highways (DER/PR), an autarchy linked to the State Secretariat for Infrastructure and Logistics. Around 600 direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created at the peak of the work. The deadline for completion is 24 months. The work is being carried out by the Nova Ponte Consortium, made up of OEC – Engenharia e Construção, Carioca Engenharia and Goetze Lobato Engenharia.

Structure

The main structure of the bridge shall be 1,244 meters long, with a span of 160 meters and a navigation channel 17 meters high and 90 meters wide. The bridge shall have four traffic lanes, two safety lanes, rigid concrete barriers, sidewalks with a bicycle lane and guardrails at the ends.

The total length of the road complex shall be 1,826 meters, which includes 951 meters of access on the Guaratuba side and 875 meters on the Matinhos side. The project also includes local roads and a connection to the Cabaraquara Road in Matinhos.

Respect for the environment

During the preparation of the environmental studies for the Guaratuba Bridge, researchers observed that it should bring benefits to the local marine fauna, recovering an ecosystem damaged for years by heavy ferry and boat traffic, including the return of some species to the bay.

Once completed, the Guaratuba Bridge will replace the ferry crossing, which is the main source of underwater noise in the bay created by human activity, considered by scholars to be a negative factor and of great relevance to the behavior of animals such as dolphins, porpoises and whales.

Evolution

Work on the project began in October last year, after the IAT issued the Preliminary License. Since then, the Nova Ponte Consortium has concentrated on setting up the industrial site to support the main work and other accesses, including the manufacture of concrete artifacts. With the issuance of the Installation License, the Consortium was authorized to start work on the maritime part of the bridge. Once the work has been completed, the Institute shall have to issue the Operating License, which marks the authorization to use the equipment.

According to Luciano Pizzatto, OEC’s contracts director in Paraná, the work should bring various benefits to the state’s population. “The Guaratuba Bridge shall be a milestone for the development of the region, especially in economic and environmental terms. It will facilitate the flow of people between two cities with great tourist appeal on the coast of Paraná, encouraging visitors between the two municipalities, as well as giving new life to the marine fauna. Everyone wins with this project,” he says.