Large scale NATM in Sao Paulo

摘要

The three tunnels described in this article form part of the west section of the Rodoanel Mario Covas, an express ringroad around the Metropolitan Area of Sao Paulo. Situated in Brazil's southeast, Sao Paulo's Metropolitan Area is the country's most important, having a population of about 18M -10.5% of the country' population - and producing 17% of the Gross National Product. Currently the urban transit system is completely saturated, daily more than 100,000 trucks enter and leave the Metropolitan Area of Sao Paulo through the ten highways that cross the city. Five million registered cars also contribute to a chaotic situation. The resulting traffic jams produce pollution, fuel wastage (about 1.5bn litres per year) and an immense loss of working time (about 1.1 bn hours per year) Rodoanel's construction was started in 1999 on the high priority 32km long Western Section. This has been in operation since October 2002 and is regarded as vital as it interconnects five of the 10 highways that converge on Sao Paulo.