Rodovia Anhangüera

Rodovia Anhangüera (official designation SP-330) is a highway in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It is one of the country's busiest transportation corridors. A 2005 survey conducted amongst Brazilian truck drivers rated it as the best transportation axis in the country.

History

The route was first used in 1774 as a dirt road between São Paulo city, Jundiaí and Campinas, serving the cattle troops and voyagers who explored the backlands for gold, precious stones and slaves. The original road was built in 1914, by a group of 84 forced labor prisoners, who paved 32km. It is known today as Estrada Velha de Campinas (Campinas Old Road), with the official designation of SP-332. It was officially inaugurated in 1940 as the first modern, asphalt-paved, four-lane highway in the country.

Anhangüera was the name given by Indians to a famous bandeirante explorer of the 16th century, Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva, who impressed them with tricks of setting fire to a plate full of cachaça. Anhangüera in the Tupi-Guarani language means "old devil".

Features

The Anhangüera highway connects the city of São Paulo with the northern region of the state and the industrial cities and agricultural regions there. Its busiest section is São Paulo-Campinas, the first section which was inaugurated. It is 86km long, and serves the cities of Cajamar, Jundiai, Louveira, Vinhedo, Valinhos and Campínas. Near Valinhos, SP-330 connects to Rodovia Dom Pedro I through the Campinas Beltway (SP-38), and near Campinas, it connects with Rodovia dos Bandeirantes (SP-348) through Rodovia Santos Dumont (SP-075).

Beyond Campinas, the second section goes through the cities of Sumaré, Nova Odessa, Americana, Limeira, Araras, Leme, Pirassununga, Porto Ferreira, Cravinhos and Ribeirão Preto. The third section, the last to be doubled-laned, goes to Orlândia, São Joaquim da Barra, Guará, Ituverava and Igarapava, reaching the border of Minas Gerais state at the Rio Grande River, near Uberaba. It is the third longest highway in the state, with 482 km.

Anhanguera is a four-lane highway. It has heavy traffic, especially trucks.

The highway is currently managed by four private companies, and therefore is a toll road:
* AutoBan, from 0 (São Paulo) to 158km
* InterVias, from 158 to 240km
* AutoVias, from 240 to 318km
* ViaNorte, from 318 to 482

ee also

* Highway system of São Paulo
* Brazilian Highway System