Some stretches of the Santarém-Cuiabá Highway, BR-163, are better than others. Although the section shown in the attached image isn't without its potholes and eroded edges, it's lasted much longer than other parts of the road. As I best remember, this part of the road was paved by the Brazilian Army around 1984, which makes it more than 20 years old. There are kilometers of pavement further down the road which didn't last a year! Ask people who live in Belterra, they know only too well. I used to do many tours from Santarém to Belterra and I remember when there was only a dirt road going out to the turnoff to Belterra. Then the road was paved on to kilometer 100, some kilometers beyond the Belterra turnoff, and most of us wished that it hadn't been paved at all! Within a year, much of the asphalt broke up, making for difficult driving conditions. Quality control seemed to have been left out of the dictionary of local road construction.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
BR-163, potholes continued
Some stretches of the Santarém-Cuiabá Highway, BR-163, are better than others. Although the section shown in the attached image isn't without its potholes and eroded edges, it's lasted much longer than other parts of the road. As I best remember, this part of the road was paved by the Brazilian Army around 1984, which makes it more than 20 years old. There are kilometers of pavement further down the road which didn't last a year! Ask people who live in Belterra, they know only too well. I used to do many tours from Santarém to Belterra and I remember when there was only a dirt road going out to the turnoff to Belterra. Then the road was paved on to kilometer 100, some kilometers beyond the Belterra turnoff, and most of us wished that it hadn't been paved at all! Within a year, much of the asphalt broke up, making for difficult driving conditions. Quality control seemed to have been left out of the dictionary of local road construction.
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