Ecovias, the concessionaire that manages São Paulo’s Anchieta-Imigrantes road complex, activated the ‘Operação 5×2’ traffic protocol at 00:03 a.m. on 13 July, completely closing the northbound (mountain-climb) carriageway of the Imigrantes Highway after dense fog and several minor collisions compromised safety. Southbound lanes toward the Port of Santos remain open, but cargo headed back to São Paulo’s industrial belt is being funneled onto the older Anchieta road, adding an estimated 40–60 minutes to the journey. The Imigrantes–Anchieta system is Brazil’s busiest freight corridor, moving roughly 40 % of the containerized imports and exports that pass through Santos—Latin America’s largest port. Automotive OEMs in the ABC industrial region and pharmaceutical distributors that rely on just-in-time delivery have already alerted customers to anticipate delays. Third-party logistics providers report spot-rate surcharges of up to 15 % for time-critical loads. Ecovias also blocked the Planalto Interlink in both directions toward São Paulo and partially closed kilometre 250–251 of the Cônego Domenico Rangoni route after a separate accident. While overall weather remained clear later in the morning, highway police retained the closures to allow debris removal and slope-stability checks. Corporate mobility managers should advise assignees flying into GRU (Guarulhos) and connecting to the Santos area to consider ARR/SSA (Congonhas) shuttle flights plus road transfers via Rodoanel, or, when possible, the coastal SP-055 alternative. Companies shipping temperature-sensitive goods should revisit contingency plans—particularly reefer truck staging near Cubatão—until the northbound carriageway reopens. Ecovias has not provided a reopening estimate but historically lifts ‘5×2’ protocols within 12–18 hours once visibility and traffic density improve. Real-time updates are available through the concessionaire’s WhatsApp alert and English-language Twitter feed.
Source: Ecovias Imigrantes
