By The Rio Times | Created at 2026-07-24 10:11:39 | Updated at 2026-08-06 05:08:40
1 week ago
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Key Facts
—The winner. EPR won the auction to run the Régis Bittencourt highway (BR-116) with a 22.53% toll discount.
—The route. About 400 kilometers of BR-116 between Taboão da Serra, in Greater São Paulo, and Curitiba.
—The rivals. It beat Motiva, formerly CCR, which offered 12.1%, and current operator Arteris, at 0.01%.
—The backer. EPR is a joint venture of asset manager Perfin and infrastructure group Equipav.
—The investment. The 25-year contract calls for about R$11 billion (US$2.2 billion) in spending.
One of Brazil’s busiest highways just got a new operator and cheaper tolls. Road group EPR won the auction to run the Régis Bittencourt highway, promising to cut tolls by nearly a quarter.
The Régis Bittencourt is one of Brazil’s most important roads, the main link between São Paulo and Curitiba and a key freight corridor to the south. Its concession was up for renewal.
In an auction at the B3 exchange, EPR won it with the biggest toll discount on the table.
How Brazil’s Road Auctions Work
Brazil hands its highways to private operators through concessions. Companies bid by offering the largest discount on a reference toll, and the biggest cut usually wins, so drivers see the benefit directly at the toll booth.
EPR’s 22.53% discount comfortably beat Motiva’s 12.1% and the token 0.01% from Arteris, the current administrator.
The Numbers
The 25-year contract commits the winner to about R$11 billion (US$2.2 billion) in investment, split into roughly R$7 billion of capital works and R$4 billion of operating costs.
EPR itself is a joint venture between the asset manager Perfin and the infrastructure group Equipav, part of a wave of new players in Brazilian roads.
Why It Matters
For drivers and truckers on the São Paulo-Curitiba corridor, the headline is lower tolls, at least on paper, alongside promised upgrades to a heavily used road.
For the sector, the aggressive bidding signals strong appetite for Brazilian infrastructure, even as the winner takes on billions in long-term commitments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Régis Bittencourt highway auction?
Road group EPR, a joint venture of asset manager Perfin and infrastructure group Equipav, won with a 22.53% toll discount, beating Motiva and current operator Arteris.
What does the concession cover?
About 400 kilometers of the BR-116 highway between Taboão da Serra, in Greater São Paulo, and Curitiba, under a 25-year contract worth about R$11 billion (US$2.2 billion).
What does the toll discount mean?
In Brazil’s road auctions, companies bid by offering the largest cut to a reference toll. EPR’s 22.53% discount was the biggest, so it should translate into lower tolls for drivers.
Sources
- CNN Brasil – EPR vence leilão da Régis Bittencourt, com deságio de 22,53%
- Diário do Grande ABC – EPR desbanca Motiva e vence leilão da Régis Bittencourt
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