New lane of Imigrantes Highway advances with license issued by Cetesb

Construction of the new roadway is expected to move approximately 4 million cubic meters of soil and rock (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

The Companhia Ambiental do Estado (Cetesb) issued this Monday (30) the preliminary license attesting to the environmental feasibility of the new lane of Imigrantes Highway. The proposal was analyzed based on the Environmental Impact Study and Report (EIA-Rima) and received a favorable opinion from the Conselho Estadual do Meio Ambiente (Consema) last Wednesday, as A Tribuna had previously reported.

Cetesb stated that it established a strict set of conditions to ensure environmentally safe execution. These include continuous biodiversity monitoring, protection of strategic water sources, technical control of excavations, and measures aimed at preserving water resources along the route.

To enable the licensing process, the Companhia reported that it mobilized multidisciplinary teams that followed each stage—from the initial phase—of route definition and construction solutions.

According to the CEO of Cetesb, Thomaz Toledo, environmental licensing “provides safety and predictability, allowing projects of this scale to move forward responsibly and deliver concrete benefits to mobility, the economy, and the environment”, he stated.

Construction is expected to move approximately 4 million cubic meters of soil and rock — equivalent to about 1,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools. With the issuance of the preliminary license, the project now proceeds to the next stages of licensing, which include installation licenses (to begin construction) and operation.

The project will be 21.6 km long and will connect Grande São Paulo to Baixada Santista. The route will begin at km 43 of Rodovia dos Imigrantes and extend to km 265 of Rodovia Cônego Domênico Rangoni, near the industrial hub of Cubatão. The proposal aims to enhance road safety, improve access to the Port of Santos, and generate logistical gains, with an estimated increase of about 145% in cargo flow capacity along the mountain stretch.

Carried out by Ecovias, the project is considered one of the most complex in the country from an engineering standpoint. Eighty-one percent of the route will consist of tunnels — a solution that reduces surface interventions and minimizes impacts along the path, including in areas of native vegetation.