Concessão de serviços no corredor de integração nacional: opinião dos agentes públicos e privados sobre o processo de gestão da BR-116/BA

Abstract

Highway modal provides conditions to boost economic development and local growth either by promptly transporting goods and commodities or clustering industrial or commercial hubs and, therefore, leading to a wider supply of jobs and income within locations crossed by the highway. In Brazil, it is notable that the infrastructure shortfall which goes from scarce technical or financial resources within public sphere to meet current demand up to an economic scenario which is marked by corruption and funds misappropriation. Thereby, a feasible execution by private sector arose as an alternative, being a reality to infrastructure and highway concession. The Ministry of Transport and the regulatory agency (ANTT) manages 21 highway concessions in the country, including the BR-116/BA concession under Viabahia Concessionária de Rodovias management. This essay aims to debate over the public service of the BR-116/BA highway concession, being infrastructure, road safety and environmental quality the focal points, deeming public and private agents’ judgement. Assuming a qualitative research, Brazilian highway infrastructure was scrutinized when attached to social-economic development, particularly to BR116 and its features, PPP and service concession management mechanism. For the exploratory and descriptive research achievement, site inspections took place to characterize features presented in communities fringed by the highway, surveys were conducted with public and private agents, from three of the largest and most expressive of those municipalities. Subsequently, it concluded that the concession strengthen improvement in infrastructure quality and highway safety. A demand for information regarding environmental issues was noted, given that BR116 crosses biomes such as caatinga, where wildlife is constantly being ran over, leading to biodiversity reduction. One of the key challenges identified is citizens failure to accept toll collection and the burden related to another tax, as well as the public entity’s lack of co-responsibility, being necessary to clarify that concessions are governmental programs that encourage and improve highway infrastructure by private management partnership.