Drivers in São Paulo are experiencing significant traffic congestion as they head out for the Carnival holiday, with reports indicating over 106 km of slow-moving traffic.
As São Paulo gears up for the Carnival holiday, drivers heading towards the coast and the countryside are facing severe traffic congestion. Reports indicate that there are over 106 kilometers of slow-moving traffic and nearly 29 kilometers of complete congestion across various state highways. The Artesp (São Paulo State Transport Agency) attributed the congestion primarily to the influx of vehicles leaving the city. Specific highways have reported critical traffic conditions, particularly on the Rodoanel Mário Covas and the Imigrantes, as commuters seek to escape the urban hustle for the festivities.
The Rodoanel Mário Covas is seeing heavy congestion at points leading to BR-116, particularly from 50 km to 29 km toward São Paulo. Similarly, the Imigrantes highway is congested from km 67 to 70 in the coastal direction, and the Raposo Tavares highway is experiencing traffic delays between km 97 to 102 towards the countryside. The Ayrton Senna-Carvalho Pinto system also has multiple points of significant slowdowns, contributing to the overall travel difficulties, especially in the direction of the interior from km 36 to 50.
As the evening progresses, traffic is expected to remain thick, particularly until late Friday night (February 13th) as people continue to depart for the Carnival festivities. The forecast indicates that the flow will remain heavy in regions like Baixada Santista, particularly on the Anchieta-Imigrantes highway around 6 PM, highlighting the challenges commuters face during this busy holiday period and the need for potential travelers to be cautious and plan accordingly.
