Drivers traveling daily between Campinas and Ribeirão Preto in upstate São Paulo know well the bottlenecks of single-lane stretches and delays at toll plazas during peak hours. That routine is set to change as the state government transfers highway management to private operators.

The Rota Mogiana consortium, formed by engineering firms Azevedo & Travassos and Quimassa Infraestrutura, signed on Wednesday (26) a highway concession contract with the government of São Paulo. The agreement forecasts R$ 9.4 billion (around $1.7 billion) in investments over 30 years across 520 kilometers of roads extending toward the Minas Gerais border, according to Folha de S.Paulo.

The project spans 22 municipalities and will directly affect daily travel for an estimated 2.3 million residents. Planned improvements include road widening, safety upgrades, and the rollout of automatic free-flow toll gantries that charge drivers electronically without requiring stops at physical toll booths.

Key details of the project

• Coverage: 520 kilometers linking Campinas, Ribeirão Preto, and municipalities near Minas Gerais.
• Contract terms: 30-year concession with R$ 9.4 billion earmarked for infrastructure works.
• Tolls: transition to automatic electronic toll gantries along the corridor.
• Beneficiaries: 2.3 million residents across 22 cities in São Paulo state.

State officials and consortium leaders say the long-term upgrades aim to relieve congestion on busy freight corridors, support regional agricultural transport, and lower crash rates on heavily traveled routes.