CBIC: Brazil is experiencing a positive cycle in highways, but fiscal aspects are holding back progress

The CBIC (Brazilian Chamber of the Construction Industry), fiscal restrictions still limit the expansion of public investments in the sector, despite the good moment of highway concessions.

For Carlos Eduardo Lima Jorge, president of the entity's Infrastructure Commission, not all the needs of the road network can be met solely by private concessions.

The speech took place during a CBIC event held in São Paulo this Thursday (21).

Last year, the federal government held 13 highway auctions, granting 6,200 km, with a forecast of R$135 billion in investments. In 2026, the Ministry of Transport presented a portfolio of 35 road concession projects, with opportunities totaling R$396 billion.

Next Thursday (28), the so-called Rota dos Sertões, a road lot made up of BR-116/BA/PE and BR-324/BA, will go up for auction at B3, in São Paulo, with investments expected at R$4.3 billion, over a 30-year contract.

This will be the fifth lot to be put up for auction under the federal highway structuring contract signed between BNDES and the Ministry of Transport.

According to Lima Jorge, public investment is "below" what is necessary, as in the case of the National Department of Transport Infrastructure, the DNIT.

"We have between R$ 14 billion and 15 billion in investment in DNIT, when the capacity is double that investment. It would be 30 billion. However, there are fiscal restrictions that need to be well considered, there are measures that need to be taken", defended the director.

Data from the Ministry of Transport and Ports and Airports show that last year R$ 13.9 billion were spent by the Executive on infrastructure.

However, the value is well below what was previously invested. For comparison, between 2009 and 2014 contributions were around R$20 billion, reaching R$30.5 billion in 2010.

According to experts, despite the cycle of large investments, the challenge of the moment is not only to structure concessions, but also to excel in contractual execution, with the completion of works, continuous maintenance, in addition to road safety standards and reasonable tariffs.

For lawyer Walter Marquezan Augusto, PhD in Economic Law from USP and member of Schiefler Advocacia, "the road concession cannot be seen as an end in itself", but as an instrument to deliver adequate service to the user.

"Brazil cannot depend on episodic cycles of network recovery. It is necessary to ensure budgetary predictability, well-structured maintenance contracts, performance monitoring, adequate signage and integration between pavement conservation, road safety and logistical gains (...) if the contract does not deliver this, the success of the auction and the announcement of investment figures are only apparent", he said.

"These elements fall, therefore, on the capacity of the Brazilian State to consolidate a long-term road policy, which overcomes government fluctuations", he concluded.

Source: CNN