São Paulo state to hold public hearings for US$1.2bn Santos-Guarujá tunnel

São Paulo state announced the dates of the public hearings for the PPP contract to build an underwater road tunnel connecting the Santos and Guarujá coastal cities.

Organized by state transport agency Artesp, the hearings will be held Wednesday through Friday, the state government said in a statement.

They are part of the process to prepare the tender notice for the 30-year contract that will require an estimated 6bn reais (US$1.2bn) in investments.

The tunnel project will involve joint efforts by the state, federal government and private sector. 

The private company that wins the PPP contract will be responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance of the tunnel. The government has not yet announced the auction date.

The tunnel will directly benefit Santos port, the country's busiest, by reducing travel time between Santos and Guarujá for trucks, as well as creating opportunities for terminal operators to install facilities on the Guarujá side.

According to the BNamericas database, the tunnel will be at a depth of 21m and have six lanes. The project also involves a navigation channel with a 17m draft, 6km of access roads and underground and surface viaducts.