74 Brazil depends on highways to transport the wealth it produces. It is roads that allow the expansion of markets, and the movement of cargo and passengers. According to the National Transport Confederation (CNT), approximately 65% of all goods are transported by road. However, the 26th edition of the CNT Highway Survey, released at the end of last year, shows that the state of highways is going from bad to worse. Although not surprising, the current survey reveals that 67.5% of the roads evaluated were classified as regular, poor, or very poor in terms of maintenance. According to the CNT, accurate diagnosis of the highways involves evaluation of the paving, signs, and geometry. These aspects are analyzed according to the user’s perception, maintenance, and safety. The main critical points recorded on the country’s highways were collapsed barriers, erosion on the roads, large potholes, and fallen or narrow bridges. These are infrastructure problems that interfere, above all, with the safety of users, increasing the risk of accidents and, consequently, adding to costs. Accidents and deaths on federal highways in 2022 were costly for Brazil. According to CNT estimates, the loss was approximately R$ 13 billion. That is double the R$ 6.51 billion invested by the government in the network in the same period. In addition, it is about R$ 800 million more than in 2021. Urgent improvements - The president of the CNT, Vander Costa, says “The study reinforces what the CNT has been advocating for years: the vital need for perennial investments that enable the reconstruction, restoration, and maintenance of highways.” The leader reinforces that the research complements what specialists, academics, politicians, public and private managers call for - the need for efficient highway infrastructure. For the president of the CNT, Brazil’s infrastructure is a determining factor for the country’s growth. “In this scenario, the transportation sector occupies a prominent position, because of the direct impact it has on national socioeconomic development.” The conclusion is that there is a need for priority interventions on the roads for the recovery, maintenance, and reconstruction of evaluated sections, in addition to the elimination of 2,684 critical points. Among these, 207 collapsed barriers and five collapsed bridges stand out, which pose significant dangers to the safety of drivers. There were also 504 points of erosion on the roads, 1,803 collection units with large potholes, 67 narrow bridges, and 62 other critical points that can compromise roads. These measures to recover the stretches ensure the necessary road infrastructure to provide safe and efficient travel to users. Best and worst roads - In this edition of the survey, the CNT evaluated 111,502 kilometers, of which 67,659 kilometers are in the federal network (BR) and 43,843 kilometers are the main state stretches. The Torquato Tapajós Highway (AM-010), which connects Manaus to the municipality of Itacoatiara, in Amazonas, also known as Deputado Vital de Mendonça, is the road in the worst condition in the country. The state highway was built in the 1960s and the government of Amazonas is responsible for its In critical condition A survey by the National Transport Confederation (CNT) evaluated 111,502 kilometers of the federal highway network and the main state stretches and found the need for rapid interventions and perennial maintenance INFRAESTRUTURA | INFRASTRUCTURE | INFRAESTRICTURA
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