Plano Piloto viaducts are in critical condition, but Novacap denies immediate risk of collapse

The structures in the worst condition are located in the central area of ​​Plano Piloto. The viaducts at Rodoviária do Plano and Galeria dos Estados presented the worst evaluations, with critical conditions in both categories.

In 2018, the Galeria viaduct collapsed, causing four cars to be buried. The place underwent renovations after the incident, but remains critical.

Other viaducts, such as the one giving access to the North Hotel Sector, had the worst rating in one of the categories. The DER survey listed 36 locations in the Plano Piloto.

Civil engineer Lorymer Araújo Almeida highlights the importance of preventive maintenance. “Keep an eye on these cracks because, if maintenance or repairs are not carried out in a timely manner, it could compromise the structure”, he explains.

She cites the impact of rain and other bad weather. According to the expert, with the cracks, water can reach the steel that supports the viaduct, causing oxidation and compromising the structure.

When contacted, Companhia Urbanizadora da Nova Capital (Novacap) stated that the places mentioned “apparently do not present a risk of collapse, nor pathologies considered serious that compromise the safety of users”. The ministry also states that the inspections are carried out by the responsible sectors.

Inspections of special works of art (such as bridges, viaducts, underpasses and elevated passages) are carried out by the bodies responsible for maintaining these structures, including Novacap and DER-DF, depending on the location of each piece of equipment. The viaducts and passages mentioned in the demand apparently do not present a risk of collapse, nor pathologies considered serious that compromise the safety of users.

All of these structures are monitored with routine visual inspections, within a biennial schedule, but also adjusted to Novacap's other demands, criticality status and staff availability. Therefore, whenever inspections identify factors that could compromise structural performance or pose a safety risk, appropriate technical measures are adopted, including partial or total closure, the preparation of projects and the execution of restoration works, as recently occurred on the Eixão viaducts.

The "bad" or "critical" classifications do not mean, in themselves, that the structure presents a risk of falling, collapsing or requiring immediate closure - as these are technical, engineering parameters used to guide and plan maintenance and define the priority of interventions. They may indicate wear and tear on structural elements, functional deficiencies or a reduction in the useful life of certain components, which require monitoring, preventive or corrective maintenance and, when necessary, structural recovery.