OEC begins requalification of BR-316 highway, in Pará.

Users of the BR-316 highway in Pará now have reason to celebrate. Improvement work on the main access road to the state capital began last Tuesday (January 15) and will have a positive impact on residents’ lives in the cities of Belém, Ananindeua and Marituba, located in the vicinity of the highway.  The State Government has signed the service order and the work is being undertaken by Odebrecht Engineering & Construction (OEC), which won an international public tender that is receiving resources from the Japanese development agency, Jica.

At 10.8 km in length, improvements to the Belém Metropolitan Region Bus Trunk System includes installation of three traffic lanes with flexible paving in both directions, as well as an exclusive lane in each direction for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. The construction should generate approximately one thousand jobs at its height and, together with the taxes to be collected by the benefited municipalities, will contribute towards developing the local economy.

“Odebrecht Engineering & Construction is a company with a technical capacity that is recognized nationally and internationally for undertaking important infrastructure work in Brazil and around the world. It is with great satisfaction that we will execute the upgrade project for the BR-316 highway, an intervention that goes beyond the construction of a bus corridor. The project includes the upgrade of sidewalks, the installation of modern lighting and drainage work that will provide citizens with greater comfort and security,” explains André Araújo, the OEC contract manager responsible for the project.

Two BRT terminals, construction of an Operational Control Center, four access tunnels to the terminals and a flyover are included in the project. The system will provide a public transport service that will serve a population of approximately one million people from the region. When completed, the forecast is that it will contribute towards reducing the travel time to the center of Belém by 50%.

In addition to saving time, residents will also benefit from two cycle paths, with one in each direction, grass areas next to the cycle path, two 2.5 meter wide tree-lined walks for pedestrian circulation, a strip of tactile paving, access ramps, LED lighting, a drainage system and street furniture. Stations and footbridges will also be installed along the central site.