Editing Brazilian Highway System (section)

== Characteristics ==
[[Image:Immigrantes_Highway,_brazil_-_panoramio.jpg|thumb|right|250px|{{center|The [[Rodovia dos Imigrantes|SP-160]], or Rodovia dos Imigrantes}}]]
[[File:Building in São Paulo 345.jpg|thumb|Tietê Highway in [[São Paulo]].]]
[[File:Rodoanel Mario Covas7.JPG|thumb|right|[[Rodoanel Mário Covas|Mário Covas Beltway]].]]

{{As of|2023}}, the system consists of {{Convert|1,720,700|km|mi|lk=on|abbr=off}} of roads, of which approximately {{Convert|213500|km|mi|lk=off|abbr=on}} are paved (12.4%), and about {{convert|17000|km|0|abbr=on}} are [[dual carriageway|divided highways]], {{convert|6300|km|0|abbr=on}} only in the [[São Paulo (state)|State of São Paulo]]. Currently it is possible to travel from [[Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul|Rio Grande]], in the extreme south of the country, to [[Brasília]] ({{convert|2580|km|0|abbr=on}}) or [[Casimiro de Abreu, Rio de Janeiro|Casimiro de Abreu]], in the state of [[Rio de Janeiro (state)|Rio de Janeiro]] ({{convert|2045|km|0|abbr=on}}), only on divided highways.<ref name=":0" /> The total of paved roads increased from 35,496 km (22,056 mi) in 1967 to 215,000 km (133,595 mi) in 2018, with an expansion of 0.5% between 2009 and 2019.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Anuário CNT do Transporte 2021 |url=https://anuariodotransporte.cnt.org.br/2021/File/PrincipaisDados.pdf |access-date=26 December 2021 |website=Confederação Nacional do Transporte - CNT |language=pt-br}}</ref> In 2009, Brazil had {{Convert|1.03|km|mi|lk=off|abbr=on}} of paved road and {{Convert|7.35|km|mi|lk=off|abbr=on}} of unpaved road per inhabitant.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 December 2009 |title=Transporte rodoviário |url=https://www.ipea.gov.br/presenca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26&Itemid=19 |access-date=27 February 2022 |publisher=Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada - Ipea |language=pt-br}}</ref> 

In 2019, the Federal Highway System had {{Convert|75,800|km|mi|lk=off|abbr=on}}, of which approximately {{Convert|65,400|km|mi|lk=off|abbr=on}} were paved (86.3%), and {{Convert|10,355|km|mi|lk=off|abbr=on}} was under federal concession (PROCROFE).<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 April 2019 |title=Rodovias Federais |url=https://antigo.infraestrutura.gov.br/rodovias-brasileiras.html |access-date=27 February 2022 |website= |publisher=Ministério da Infraestrutura - MInfra |language=pt-br}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rodovias Federais - Informações Gerais - Sistema Federal de Viação |url=https://www.gov.br/infraestrutura/pt-br/assuntos/transporte-terrestre/rodovias-federais/rodovias-federais-informacoes-gerais-sistema-federal-de-viacao |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=Ministério da Infraestrutura |language=pt-br}}</ref> The most important federal highways in the country are [[BR-101]] and [[BR-116]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anuário CNT do Transporte 2018 |url=https://anuariodotransporte.cnt.org.br/2018/# |access-date= |website=Confederação Nacional do Transporte - CNT}}</ref>

Although Brazil has the largest duplicated road network in [[Latin America]], it's considered insufficient for the country's needs: in 2021, it was calculated that the ideal amount of duplicated roads would be something around from {{convert|35000|km|0|abbr=on}} to {{convert|42000|km|0|abbr=on}}. The main road axes also have problems because they often have inadequate geometry and constructive characteristics that don't allow quality long-distance flow (non-interference from local traffic and high speed).<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Mendes |first=Claudia |last2=Barbosa |first2=Silvio |date=8 July 2019 |title=Infraestrutura e desenvolvimento no Brasil |url=https://www.kas.de/documents/265553/265602/KA+Cad+2019.2.pdf/eda7b688-9ae3-2f99-29f1-a8006f777abc?version=1.0&t=1567528762159 |access-date=27 February 2022 |website=[[Konrad Adenauer Foundation|Fundação Konrad Adenauer]] - KAS |page=29 |language=pt-br}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Martins |first=Fernando |last2=Lourenço |first2=Ricardo |last3=Oliver |first3=Ignacia |title=Infraestrutura rodoviária no brasil: Para onde vamos?|url=https://www.bain.com/contentassets/7e48e0824a0e4f2ba4542d36c130cef1/infraestrutura-rodoviaria-no-brasil-para-onde-vamos_pt.pd |access-date=27 February 2022 |publisher=Bain & Company |language=pt-br |publication-date=2016}}</ref>

The [[Federal government of Brazil|Brazilian Federal Government]] has never implemented a National Highway Plan at the same level as developed countries such as the USA, Japan or European countries, which specifically aimed at inter-regional travel, and which should preferably be served by highways. The Brazilian State, despite some planning efforts, has been guided by a reactive action to the increase in demand (only duplicating some roads with old and inadequate layout) and not by a purposeful vision, directing occupation and economic density in the territory. Another problem is the lack of directing the Union Budget towards infrastructure works, since there is no law that guarantees funds from the Federal Budget for works on highways and other modes of transport, depending exclusively on the goodwill of the rulers.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

Brazil even invested 1.5% of the country's budget in infrastructure in the 1970s, being the time when the most investment was made in highways; but in the 1990s, only 0.1% of the budget was invested in this sector, maintaining an average of 0.5% in the 2000s and 2010s, insufficient amounts for the construction of an adequate road network. For comparative purposes, the average investment of the USA and the European Union was 1% between 1995 and 2013, even though they already have a much more advanced road infrastructure than Brazil.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

The country still has several states where paved access to 100% of the state's municipalities has not yet been reached. Some states have 100% of cities with asphalt access, such as [[Santa Catarina (state)|Santa Catarina]], which reached this goal in 2014;<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 March 2014 |title=Santa Catarina tem, agora, acesso asfaltado a todas as 295 cidades |url=https://www.sc.gov.br/noticias/temas/transportes-e-estradas/santa-catarina-tem-agora-acesso-asfaltado-a-todas-as-295-cidades |access-date=27 February 2022 |website= |publisher=Governo do Estado de Santa Catarina |archive-date=30 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211230125049/https://www.sc.gov.br/noticias/temas/transportes-e-estradas/santa-catarina-tem-agora-acesso-asfaltado-a-todas-as-295-cidades |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Paraíba]], which reached this goal in 2017,<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 May 2017 |title=Ricardo entrega estrada de Carrapateira e decreta fim do isolamento asfáltico na Paraíba |url=https://sine.pb.gov.br/der/noticias/ricardo-entrega-estrada-de-carrapateira-e-decreta-fim-do-isolamento-asfaltico-na-paraiba |access-date=27 February 2022 |website=Sistema Nacional de Emprego na Paraíba (Sine-PB) |publisher=Secretaria de Comunicação |language=pt-br |archive-date=30 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211230132642/https://sine.pb.gov.br/der/noticias/ricardo-entrega-estrada-de-carrapateira-e-decreta-fim-do-isolamento-asfaltico-na-paraiba |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[Alagoas]], which reached this goal in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 August 2021 |title=Com entrega de rodovia em Pindoba, Alagoas bate meta de asfaltar 100% dos acessos aos municípios |url=https://www.correiodosmunicipios-al.com.br/2021/08/com-entrega-de-rodovia-em-pindoba-alagoas-bate-meta-de-asfaltar-100-dos-acessos-aos-municipios/ |access-date=27 February 2022 |website=Correio dos Municípios |language=pt-BR |archive-date=30 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211230132633/https://www.correiodosmunicipios-al.com.br/2021/08/com-entrega-de-rodovia-em-pindoba-alagoas-bate-meta-de-asfaltar-100-dos-acessos-aos-municipios/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In states like [[Rio Grande do Sul]], in 2020, there were still 54 cities without asphalt access.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 February 2020 |title=No RS, 54 municípios ainda não têm acesso asfáltico e sofrem com poeira, buracos e dificuldades econômicas |url=https://gauchazh.clicrbs.com.br/geral/noticia/2020/02/no-rs-54-municipios-ainda-nao-tem-acesso-asfaltico-e-sofrem-com-poeira-buracos-e-dificuldades-economicas-ck6wm0wqt0l7401qdr1onait8.html |access-date=27 February 2022 |website=GaúchaZH - GZH |language=pt-BR}}</ref> In [[Paraná (state)|Paraná]], in 2021, there were still 4 cities without asphalt access.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 February 2021 |title=Quatro cidades do Paraná não têm acessos por rodovias estaduais asfaltadas; moradores enfrentam lama e transtornos |url=https://g1.globo.com/pr/parana/noticia/2021/02/15/quatro-cidades-do-parana-nao-tem-acessos-por-rodovias-estaduais-asfaltadas-moradores-enfrentam-lama-e-transtornos.ghtml |access-date=27 February 2022 |website=G1 - Globo |language=pt-br}}</ref> In [[Minas Gerais]], in 2016, there were still 5 cities without asphalt access.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |date=3 April 2016 |title=Moradores de cidades sem ligação asfáltica vivem isolados por lama e poeira |url=https://www.em.com.br/app/noticia/gerais/2016/04/03/interna_gerais,749599/isolados-por-lama-e-poeira.shtml |access-date=27 February 2022 |website=Jornal Estado de Minas |language=pt-BR}}</ref>

As it is in the United States, Canada, and most countries in Europe, larger/wider highways have higher speed limits than normal urban roads (typically between {{Convert|80|km/h|mph|lk=on|abbr=on}} and {{Convert|120|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}), although minor highways, unpaved highways and sections of major highways running inside urban areas have a lower speed limit in general. The national [[speed limit]] for cars driving in non-urban roads is {{Convert|110|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} unless otherwise stated, regardless of the road design, weather or daylight.