Rodoanel Mario Covas

The Greater São Paulo Beltway - Rodoanel Mario Covas - is named after Mario Covas, mayor of the city (1983-1985) and a state governor (1994-1998/1998-2001) until his death from cancer in 2001.

During his time in office, Mr Covas earned a reputation as an "honest and efficient administrator" in a state previously riddled by corruption.

Greater São Paulo Beltway

- Total length: approximately 170 km

- Maximum speed: 100 km per hour

- Two carriageways: three to four lanes in each direction

- Distance from central São Paulo: 20 to 40 km

- Will connect with 10 major highways that lead into São Paulo, allowing traffic that doesn't need to enter the city the ability to rotate around it

The South Section

- Cost: BRL 3.6 billion (US$ 1.6 billion)

- Started: 2007

- Completion: mid-2010

- Total length, South Section: 61.4 km (57 km of Ring road and 4.4 km of access road connecting Mauá

- Civil engineering structures: 136, including bridges, viaducts, overpasses and underpasses

- Will connect with roads leading to São Paulo, Embu, Itapecerica da Serra, São Bernardo do Campo, Santo André, Ribeirão Pires and Mauá