Phoenix 24
The landmark crossing will reshape transport across Bahia.
SALVADOR, BRAZIL — July 2026. Brazil has begun constructing a 12.4-kilometer bridge across the Bay of All Saints, connecting Salvador with Vera Cruz on Itaparica Island. Once completed, it will become South America’s longest bridge built entirely over water. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva attended the ceremony marking the project’s official launch.
The four-lane structure is designed to accommodate approximately 28,000 vehicles each day. Its central sections will rise as high as 82 meters above sea level, allowing large commercial vessels to continue accessing Salvador’s port. Construction is being led by a consortium formed by China Communications Construction Company and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.
The project is valued at 11.6 billion reais—approximately $2.22 billion. The consortium will provide 47 percent of the financing, while Brazil’s federal government and the state of Bahia will cover the remaining 53 percent. The bridge is scheduled for completion in June 2031.
Authorities estimate that the new connection will shorten journeys between Salvador and Bahia’s southern coastline by nearly two hours. Around 10 million people across more than 250 municipalities could benefit from improved mobility, logistics and access to tourist destinations such as Morro de São Paulo.
Lula urged authorities to ensure that development does not undermine the tranquility, environment or cultural identity of local communities. Officials are also seeking to prevent uncontrolled property speculation and the expansion of organized crime as investment reaches the island.
A bridge across the sea could redraw Bahia’s economic and social geography.