Key facts
- A Chinese consortium will build Latin America's longest cable-stayed bridge in Brazil.
- The Salvador-Itaparica Bridge will connect the city of Salvador and the island of Itaparica.
- The project spans 46.8 kilometers, with the cable-stayed bridge section measuring 12.4 kilometers.
- The bridge is expected to be completed by 2031.
- The project is a public-private partnership involving a 30-year concession for operation and maintenance.
- The bridge is designed to reduce travel time between Salvador and Itaparica from nearly an hour to 25 minutes.
A Chinese consortium has signed an agreement to construct Latin America's longest cable-stayed bridge in Brazil, a significant infrastructure project aimed at boosting regional development. The Salvador-Itaparica Bridge, spanning the Bay of All Saints, will connect the city of Salvador with the island of Itaparica.
The project, a public-private partnership, involves a 46.8-kilometer concession area, including a 12.4-kilometer cable-stayed bridge. Upon completion, it is expected to become the region's largest cross-sea project supported by cables. The bridge is designed to significantly reduce travel time, cutting the journey between Salvador and Itaparica from nearly an hour to approximately 25 minutes, and will benefit an estimated 4.4 million residents across 45 cities.
The consortium includes China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), CCCC South America Regional Company, and China Railway 20 Bureau Group Corporation. The contract signing, initially planned for May, was postponed to November 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction is slated to take five years, with an anticipated completion date in 2031. The project is expected to generate around 7,000 jobs and is viewed as a key element for the economic development of Bahia state and Brazil's northeast region.