The National Department of Transport Infrastructure (Dnit) announced this Friday (23) the bidding notice for the construction of a new bridge over the Tocantins River, located on BR-235, in the section connecting Pedro Afonso to Tupirama, in the central area of the state.
The estimated value for this reconstruction work is R$ 430 million. The existing bridge had been classified as condemned by Dnit after a technical assessment conducted in August 2026, which detected serious structural failures. Although traffic was completely interrupted at certain times, passage for passenger cars and motorcycles was later reopened.
New Bridge
The official announcement regarding the bidding was published in the Official Gazette of the Union this same Friday (23). According to the notice, the winning company will be responsible for all stages of the project, including necessary studies, the preparation of basic and executive engineering designs, the physical execution of the works—covering demolition and reconstruction—and the continuous monitoring of the bridge over the Tocantins River on BR-235.
The criterion chosen for the bidding will be the lowest price, and the proposal opening is scheduled for January 22, 2027. Currently, a definitive date for the start of the works has not yet been established.
Understand the Case
The closure of the bridge at kilometer 163 of BR-235 began on May 21, 2026, after inspections revealed structural problems. Initially, the restriction applied only to vehicles with a load exceeding four tons, but this limitation was progressively raised until the total closure as a precautionary measure.
This route represents a vital corridor for the outflow of agro-industrial production from the Matopiba region. Due to the economic and logistical impacts caused by the blockage, the City Hall of Pedro Afonso declared a state of emergency valid for 180 days.
To mitigate the inconvenience, the Government of Tocantins permitted the emergency operation of ferries to ensure crossing between Pedro Afonso and Tupirama. This temporary service operated while Dnit finalized the technical studies, which have already been completed.
The crossing, named Prefeito Leôncio Miranda Bridge, has an extension of 1,060 meters, features 24 pillars, and was inaugurated in December 2007. Its construction, which cost R$ 92.7 million, was the result of a collaboration between the Union and the Government of Tocantins, aiming to facilitate the transport of local agricultural production.