The 23-kilometres-long route forms a crucial part of the transport plans for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in four years' time.

It will connect the Barra area, due to host over half of the events, to Deodoro, one of Rio's four regions where competitions will also take place.

Construction work (pictured) on the two projects – which will ease the passage of athletes, officials, media and the public – is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.

The Transolimpica is one of Rio 2016's bid commitments and – along with the Transcarioca, Transoeste and Transbrasil – forms part of a group of BRT links which will significantly increase the city's high-capacity transportation coverage, from 18 to 63 per cent, by 2016.

Commuting time between the two regions is expected to be slashed by more than one hour, benefiting more than 100,000 people.

Around 55,000 vehicles are expected to travel each day on the freeway, which will cut across eight Rio neighbourhoods.

The 1.55 billion Brazilian reais (£493 million/$764 million/€622 million) funding for the Transolimpica construction will be provided by a public-private partnership between the city Government and a concessionaire that will build and operate the freeway for 35 years.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
September 2010: Work on BRT for World Cup and Olympics in Rio starts