A landmark in Brazilian engineering, Rodovia dos Imigrantes completes 50 years connecting people, boosting logistics and preparing for a new stage of expansion. Disclosure 50 years ago, one of the largest road engineering projects in the country transformed the connection between São Paulo and the coast of São Paulo. Opened on June 28, 1976, the northern lane of Rodovia dos Imigrantes expanded the connection capacity between the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo and Baixada Santista by overcoming the challenges posed by the terrain of Serra do Mar, with the construction of tunnels, viaducts and special structures in an area of ??high environmental complexity. Built by Dersa (Desenvolvimento Rodoviário S.A.), the first Imigrantes lane began to complement the connection already made by Via Anchieta, opened in the 1940s, expanding access alternatives between the plateau and the coast of São Paulo and contributing to the economic, tourist and logistical development of the State of São Paulo. Since 1998, when it took over the administration of the Anchieta-Imigrantes System, Ecovias Imigrantes has continued the transformation with investments in infrastructure, technology, conservation and road safety. The main milestone of this period was the construction of the second lane of Rodovia dos Imigrantes, opened in 2002, which expanded the system's operational capacity and incorporated engineering solutions aimed at reducing environmental impacts. Throughout the concession, Ecovias Imigrantes has already invested more than R$11 billion in improvements to the Anchieta-Imigrantes System, including modernizing the operation, serving users, implementing technological equipment and infrastructure works, such as improvements at the entrance to Santos and new access to the Port of Santos. "The history of Rodovia dos Imigrantes shows how Brazilian engineering evolved to keep up with the mobility needs of the State of São Paulo. The first lane transformed the connection between the plateau and the coast of São Paulo. After the concession, Ecovias Imigrantes continued this trajectory with the construction of the second lane, the modernization of the operation and new investments that prepare the system for the coming years", says Ronald Marangon, superintendent director of Ecovias Imigrantes. From overcoming the Serra do Mar to the evolution of sustainable engineering With the growth in demand for vehicles and the need to expand capacity between the plateau and the coast of São Paulo, the first lane of the Rodovia dos Imigrantes was inaugurated in 1976. The new connection represented a milestone in Brazilian road engineering, with the construction of tunnels, viaducts and special structures in a region with rugged terrain and the presence of native Atlantic Forest. The grandeur of the work can be measured by the numbers on the north runway. 17.8 kilometers long, the highway was designed to cross Serra do Mar through 11 tunnels and 20 viaducts, which together add up to more than 12 kilometers of special works. The track was built with three traffic lanes and a layout designed to allow speeds of up to 110 km/h. In the mountain section, foundations and pillars were built into the rock at depths of up to 40 meters, in addition to structures elevated more than 80 meters above the ground, requiring specific solutions to guarantee the stability of the slopes along the route. With the concession of the Anchieta-Imigrantes System to Ecovias Imigrantes in 1998, a new stage of investment in infrastructure, technology and expansion of operational capacity began. The main milestone of this period was the construction of the second lane of the Rodovia dos Imigrantes, opened in 2002. The new lane incorporated engineering solutions aimed at reducing environmental impacts. While the first runway had 133 support pillars and 16 construction sites, the second was built with 62 pillars and just two construction sites, using larger gaps between the structures. The solution resulted in around 40 times less deforestation compared to the original work. Environmental concerns remain present in the operation of the Anchieta-Imigrantes System. Among the initiatives maintained by Ecovias Imigrantes is the concessionaire's seedling nursery, which has already produced more than 1 million native seedlings used in plant restoration and recovery projects for green areas in the State of São Paulo. Technology and operations to meet growing demand Between 2010 and 2025, the average daily volume of vehicles in the Anchieta-Imigrantes System grew by around 25%, going from 98.5 thousand to more than 123 thousand vehicles per day. Currently, the system has 300 monitoring cameras, 47 variable message panels, 15 operational vehicles, 5 ambulances and 17 light and heavy tow trucks integrated into the Operational Control Center (CCO). Since the beginning of the concession, more than 3.4 million operational services have been carried out, including mechanical assistance, medical assistance, traffic inspections and removals. Third clue prepares the corridor for the coming decades The next chapter in the history of Imigrantes has already begun to be designed. At the beginning of 2024, the State government asked Ecovias Imigrantes for the project to build a new connection between Planalto and Baixada Santista. Since then, a group of more than 300 professionals have dedicated themselves to the studies, projects and licensing of this enterprise. In March 2026, Ecovias Imigrantes obtained the Preliminary Environmental License for the project of the third lane of Rodovia dos Imigrantes. Soon, the concessionaire must deliver to the government, for decision on the next steps, the executive project of the work, which envisages expanding the system's capacity while preserving the environmental characteristics of Serra do Mar. With 21.6 kilometers in length, the project has 80% of the route made up of tunnels, including one more than six kilometers long, which will be the largest road tunnel in Brazil. The new connection will have an average slope of 4