The 2006 Road Study, published Friday, October 6, by Brazil’s National Confederation of Transportation shows that more than one third of the Brazilian federal highways are in bad or terrible condition. And only 10.8% are considered to be in perfect shape.
The study evaluated all Brazilian federal highways. Among the aspects taken into consideration were conservation and users’ safety and comfort, all based in a "theoretical model-road". For that, researchers used such criteria as paving, signaling and geometry, or in other words, the road’s unevenness.
According to the study, 14.2% of the highways in Brazil are in good condition; 38.4% in regular condition; 24.4% in bad shape; and 12.2% in terrible shape. Last year, the same study had shown 11% of the highways in great condition; 17% in good condition; 31.8% in regular condition; 22% in bad shape; and 18.2% in terrible shape.
The best highways, according to the study, are located in São Paulo state. On the other hand, the worst are mostly in the northeastern region. The highway that links the city of Leopoldina, in Minas Gerais, to the BR-262 road came in last, as the worst Brazilian federal highway.
This was the 11st road study carried out by the CNT. To conduct the study researchers travelled 84,382 km (52, 432 miles) from June 28 to August 5. The Confederation stressed that the highways are used for the transportation of 96.2% of all the passengers and 6.8% of the cargo in the country.
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