March 1, 2022

07:03

Iury Lima – Cenarium Magazine

VILHENA (RO) – The Federal Highway Police (PRF/RO), in Rondônia, foresees the total release of traffic, on the interdicted stretch of BR-364, between the towns of Ariquemes (202 kilometers from Porto Velho) and Itapuã do Oeste (112 kilometers from the capital), for this Tuesday, March 1st, due to the beginning of repair actions by the National Department of Transportation Infrastructure (Dnit). 

The agency is lifting the main federal highway in the state, as a kind of alternative route to relieve the congestion of more than 20 kilometers, formed due to flooding of the road after heavy rains, since the rising waters of the Jamari River reached almost 2 meters over the BR. With part of the work already completed, the PRF/RO began, already on Monday, 28, to release, in the scheme ‘stop and go’, the movement of vehicles stopped for four days on the road.

“For 24 hours it is possible to pass, but there are quite a few lines and the waiting time is two to three hours,” informed CENARIUM the Federal Highway Patrolman and PRF Communication Advisor, Andrei Milton. 

“The forecast for completion of the works is for tomorrow, Tuesday, March 1, at the end of the day. However, there may be a delay due to lack of raw material. The quarries here are not supporting the demand for the stones needed to do the backfill. So, tomorrow, if everything goes well, at the end of the day, everything will be ready”, added the agent.

Because of the blockade, the state of Acre was isolated by land. Also according to the Highway Police, the total liberation should occur in the beginning of Tuesday night, 29th.

Rules

Before the total release, drivers must follow police guidelines in order to continue their journey. “As there is only one lane of traffic, the area works in stop-and-go operation. Any kind of vehicle can pass: motorcycle, car, buses, trucks of all kinds, 24 hours. But it takes a long time, because only one lane is working”, explained Milton.

He complements that, for the special trucks, there are two rules: “First, the carnival restriction has been suspended throughout the state. So, there won’t be any kind of circulation restriction during the day. And the night driving restriction is suspended only between Porto Velho and Ariquemes. So, these trucks can circulate at night between the capital and Ariquemes,” he said.

Urgent work and little raw material 

According to the PRF, more than 100 professionals and volunteers are working on the embankment of the highway, in a partnership between the Dnit and the State Department of Highways (DER). However, the lack of raw material has hindered the continuity of the repairs. 

“The flooded stretch is 500 meters long, 9 meters wide, and 3 meters high. This gives a total of 13,500 cubic meters. To fill this space of stones, more than 1,300 truck trips are needed,” the police reported. 

“In addition to transportation and quantity, we have an operational demand that the quarries can meet. The volume of stone required in this work is much larger than what was stocked, normally, for the needs here in the state. So, an emergency operation was necessary, also in these quarries, to be able to supply the demand. This takes time. This consumes work,” said the PRF/RO.

Solidarity on the road

During these four days of isolation of BR-364, more than 800 drivers and travelers had to deal with hunger, thirst and despair due to the extremely critical situation. To alleviate these adversities, the PRF/RO donated meals, bottles of mineral water and basic food basket items. All with the support of the people of Rondonia.

“The Municipality of Ariquemes and also the Municipality of Cujubim delivered food and drinking water (…) The Commercial and Industrial Association of Ariquemes made the distribution of food and water, and also installed chemical toilets during this stretch of paralysis to generate greater comfort (…) We have the Purágua company also, which donated a lot of drinking water in several individual bottles, and the Federal Highway Police has done this work of logistics to help road professionals, “detailed Andrei Milton.