AUCTION SECURES IMPROVEMENTS FOR AGRICULTURAL LOGISTICS
The BR-163, the main highway in Mato Grosso do Sul, is set to receive R$16.5 billion (US$2.89 billion) in investments. This is the value of the sole bid presented for a 29-year concession.
The selection criterion was the lowest tariff with a discount on the ceiling tariff, set at R$7.52 per 100 km for a single lane.
The BR-163 spans 845.9 kilometers and connects 16 municipalities from north to south of the state, linking these cities to the neighboring states of Paraná and Mato Grosso.
The optimized project includes:
- 203.02 km of duplications
- 147.77 km of additional lanes
- 28.82 km of urban bypasses
- 22.99 km of marginal roads
- 6 diamond-type intersections (implementation and improvements)
- 7 trumpet-type intersections
- 6 route corrections
- 1 full cloverleaf interchange
- 67 elongated roundabouts (implementation and improvements)
- 22 X-shaped returns
- 22 pedestrian overpasses
- 40 U-turns
- 49 sections with curve lighting
- 379 access points
- 56 wildlife crossings
- 144 bus stops
- 55 special engineering structures (implementation and improvements)
- 3 rest stops
- 17 operational service and user support bases (BSOs and SAUs).
Jaime Verruck, Secretary of Environment, Development, Science, Technology, and Innovation (Semadesc) of Mato Grosso do Sul, stated:
"From a strategic perspective, this is an extremely positive solution for the State. Works will begin with significant investment, including duplications and additional lanes, improving traffic safety. This is fundamental for the State to progress. Within its development structure, we recently had the Cellulose Route bidding, which now complements the BR-163 bidding. This is a very important axis that crosses Mato Grosso do Sul from north to south, passing through several municipalities, and today it's a highway with a high accident rate."
Duplications, the installation of third lanes, and overpasses replacing at-grade intersections are expected to contribute to the peaceful coexistence between trucks loaded with agricultural products and minerals, and passenger cars that also use the road.
Mato Grosso do Sul is among Brazil's top five soybean-producing states. It also stands out in beef, pork, and poultry production.
The winning bidder already held a concession contract for the BR-163 since 2014, but a series of problems led to unsuccessful renegotiations. Since then, only 150 kilometers had been duplicated.
The Ministry of Transport and the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT) believe that the new concession allows for rebalancing existing contracts based on technical criteria, clear goals, performance indicators, and greater social control — without the need to wait for the current concession to expire.