Arco Metropolitano do Rio de Janeiro

The Arco Metropolitano do Rio de Janeiro (Also known simply as Arco Metropolitano) is a highway designed to connect the five main highways that cross the municipality of Rio de Janeiro.

The project will be divided into stages. The first stretch of 73 km will link highways Washington Luís and Rio-Santos. It is budgeted at $800 million and will initially be implemented in cooperation between the State Government of Rio de Janeiro and the DNIT.

When the project is completed, the arch should total 145 km. Unlike Rodoanel Mário Covas in Sao Paulo, the Metropolitan Arch will not have a southern stretch, since it will pass through a coastal metropolitan area.

In 2009, with construction already started, 22 archaeological sites were found, which led to construction delays so that all sites could be cataloged, and the materials found, preserved. While one site will be kept, the others should only have the material removed to museums.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2012.

Project objectives

The main objectives of the Metropolitan Arch are:

• Connecting the various highways in and out of Rio de Janeiro city. It should facilitate the flow of traffic, even in case of problems on some routes;
• Avoid unnecessary entry of vehicles that are only passing through the city of Rio de Janeiro, thereby reducing congestion on highways in the capital of Rio de Janeiro, on Ponte Rio-Niteroi and Via Dutra;
• Provide express access to the Port of Itaguaí;
• Develop areas of Baixada Fluminense that are now economically irrelevant.