Foz do Iguaçu, 110 years: transformations with major works and 15 old challenges

It records the local political anecdote of grumbling and light elbowing on an improvised platform on the shoulder of a highway in Foz do Iguaçu, in the tourist corridor, for an official ceremony to announce long-awaited improvements to the road. Barbs arising from the dispute over “paternity” aside, let’s get to work. There wasn’t even time to warm up the machines, the execution was halted, and the work was postponed for a few more years.

It is not an easy task for the city when it comes to getting strategic investments and projects with density and scope off the paper and the promises of public agents of different stripes. It is almost a fate. Going back a little in history, in the 1980s, the construction of the Tancredo Neves International Bridge was a real struggle; it had to be practically pulled out of the bureaucracy to become a reality.

A combination of economic context and political decision, some of the structural works went from the executive projects to the service site. It seemed, finally, that Foz do Iguaçu would enter a period of prosperity regarding the most urgent demands for infrastructure listed by entities and city government, and time would prove right the popular wisdom, which teaches that those who know how to wait always succeed. It has not been quite like that.

Major investments are underway, designed to foster economic segments that are relevant to the trinational region, such as tourism, trade and logistics, in addition to mobility. On the other hand, bottlenecks persist, delivery schedules are delayed and a series of needs are still awaiting implementation by the government, which also does not have a plan for the present and future that links the economic, social and environmental vectors.

Infrastructure and major works

1 Integration Bridge

Connection between Brazil and Paraguay, linking Foz do Iguaçu and Presidente Franco, the International Integration Bridge began to be built in 2019, was inaugurated in 2022 and declared 100% complete, by the Paraná Highway Department (DER-PR), in August 2023. It will come into use with the progress of complementary works on the road.
The bridge is a demand that dates back 32 years. The goal is to streamline the movement of people, vehicles and cargo between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, reducing traffic pressure on the International Friendship Bridge, in order to promote economic sectors and improve traffic to border crossings. According to Itaipu Binacional, which paid for the work, the total investment was R$373,6 million.

2 Dry Port

The new Dry Port in Foz do Iguaçu aims to strengthen the border as a logistics hub in South America. The company Multilog won the bid to build the customs unit, next to BR-277 and Perimetral Leste, modernizing and doubling the movement of import and export cargo.
The works are expected to be completed by the end of 2025, with a total investment of R$500 million, in an area of ​​550 thousand square meters. The project is expected to generate three thousand direct and indirect jobs. The project includes a large yard for trucks, a storage and inspection area, modernization of equipment, with precision scales and cargo scanners, and increased security.

3 airport

The extension of the runway at Cataratas International Airport was inaugurated in 2021, based on investments from federal agencies, in order to provide the terminal with greater operational capacity, increasing demand. The stretch was increased by 664 meters, increasing from 2.194 to 2.858 meters.
After a standoff with Infraero, the former operator, CCR, the current administrator of the terminal, under private concession since 2022, committed to completing the approval of the runway extension at the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), which was pending due to a dispute over attributions. This procedure will allow the airport to receive larger commercial and cargo flights.

4 East Perimeter

The East Perimetral Highway will cross Foz do Iguaçu, between BR-277 and the Integração (with Paraguay) and Tancredo Neves (with Argentina) bridges. After mediation by the courts regarding demands involving the execution, the road's completion date was changed to the end of 2025, and adjustments were made to the project.
The public construction includes two customs offices to monitor the entry and exit of goods from the countries of the Three Borders. The Perimetral Leste is the result of a partnership between the state and federal governments and Itaipu, which is funding the project. The total cost is R$335,6 million, according to the binational company.

5 Falls Highway

The widening of the Rodovia das Cataratas, BR-469, covers a stretch of 8,7 kilometers, between the access junction to Argentina and the entrance to the Iguaçu National Park. In addition to being the route to the Iguaçu Falls, the federal highway provides access to the airport, attractions, hotels, resorts and entrances to neighborhoods.
The project includes the construction of side roads, sidewalks, a cycle path, a bridge over the Tamanduá River, wildlife crossings, LED lighting and four viaducts. The current agreement is worth R$271,8 million for the project, including the counterpart from the Government of Paraná and covering the costs of construction, supervision and expropriation of areas.
After a dispute over the execution, DER-PR informs H2FOZ that the consortium responsible for the services is remobilizing work fronts and machinery to return to the “pace presented until the end of last year”. To this end, an addendum to the deadline is being finalized, reorganizing the schedule, and another with a new value.

6 Municipal Market

After some back and forth, the opening of the Foz do Iguaçu Municipal Market is scheduled for the beginning of the second half of this year. Construction work began in March 2018, in the former Cobal area, in Vila A, with completion scheduled for the first half of 2019. The challenge, once the doors are open, will be to implement and succeed with the management model, which is the responsibility of the Itaipu Technological Park (PTI).
The structure has a built area of ​​three thousand square meters. The idea is to implement a mix of products and gastronomy, as well as space for cultural and leisure activities, from music to theater. Itaipu Binacional estimates that there will be 54 spaces: 12 social boxes, for cooperatives and associations, and 42 are for rent.

7 JK Avenue

A partnership between the City of Foz do Iguaçu and Itaipu, responsible for most of the R$23 million budgeted for the project, the revitalization of JK Avenue is in the early stages of asphalt resurfacing, a service identified by the administration as a priority. The project is expected to be completed by May 2025.
The project includes a new storm drainage system between the BR-277 overpass and Avenida Carlos Gomes, and resurfacing of the entire road from the overpass to Avenida Jorge Schimmelpfeng. The service includes the renovation and adaptation of the central reservation to allow for the construction of a cycle path and walking track, new lighting and street furniture.

15 ancient challenges

Lists derived from different forums and discussion spaces of civil society and public authorities require dozens of priority investments to contribute to the development of Foz do Iguaçu. Many are bottlenecks that have been crying out for solutions for years, and many others have been framed in promises and projections. H2FOZ lists 15 main projects waiting to be completed, from a list that is much larger.

1 Trenches

There are demands for four interventions, in Vila Portes and Jardim Jupira, Trevo do CTG Charrua, Portal da Foz and in front of the Municipal Market, as solutions to improve mobility.

2 Floods and inundations

There are pressing needs for works in areas such as Jardim Canadá, Morenitas and Jardim Universitário, among others mapped by the city government. One of the bottlenecks, on Avenida JK, is expected to be solved with the revitalization of the avenue. The completion of drainage services in the Três Pinheiros/Jardim São Paulo region foresees the use of part of the recent financing of the city government with Caixa.

3 Linear parks

Implementation of linear parks on the Boicy and Poti rivers. A project that envisaged the transformation of the entire length of the city's main urban rivers, Reinventando Foz has no budget in 2024 or in the Budget Guidelines Law.

4 Guarani Forest

Closed since the pandemic, it requires reopening for public use, environmental education and full conservation of the remaining Atlantic Forest. It is listed as a municipal conservation unit.

5 Civic Center

Space for the new city hall, concentrating departments and bringing together other agencies. According to the administration, the municipality is preparing the project and budget for the work, for the land behind the Federal Police, and the procedures for use of the area have been officialized, it reports.

6 Rowing Park

Complete revitalization of the environmental, leisure, art and culture space located in Porto Meira.

7 Neighborhoods

Leisure facilities in the main neighborhoods, through a technical survey of demands for construction, renovation and expansion of sports courts, soccer fields, environmental spaces, among others.

8 Urban mobility

The Foz do Iguaçu Urban Mobility Plan (Mobifoz) became law by municipal decree in 2018, but it has not been implemented. The city government reports that a committee is being set up to monitor and renew the document.

9 Unila Campus

Completion of the university's campus, developing public higher education and contributing to the consolidation of the institution. Construction work was interrupted in 2014, with 41% of the work completed and R$100 million disbursed up to that point. Last year, the federal government, Itaipu Binacional and Unila decided to resume the work, which will cost approximately R$700 million and is expected to be completed in three years.

10 Bus terminals

The bus passenger terminals in the center and Vila Portes are inadequate, lacking interventions to improve functionality, safety and convenience for residents and visitors.

11 Squares of the Bible and Mitre

Redefinition of the so-called Centennial Works, with review and adaptation of the structure of the Bible and Mitre squares.

12 Municipal Theater

The construction of the Municipal Theater is a decision made at successive municipal cultural conferences, as Foz do Iguaçu does not have a public, multipurpose facility capable of hosting large shows and audiences, and, at the same time, acting as a lever for the work of artists and filmmakers from Iguaçu.

13 Municipal Innovation Center

The notice for the renovation of the space at the Municipal Innovation Center dates back to 2018. The CMI-FI was created by law in March 2022. In January of this year, the city government and PTI announced that its implementation was moving forward, with a forecast, at the time, of an investment of R$10 million by the Technology Park in the service's infrastructure.
The investigation into the current status of the report indicates that the agreement is being drawn up; the city government has provided the spaces to the PTI and has begun financial and engineering studies to set a price for the project. When it was launched, the Innovation Center intended to house 50 technology startups, boost business in the sector and attract investment.

14 Beira Foz

Since it was announced, the start of this intervention has been postponed, in addition to generating questions from vulnerable communities living near the Paraná River. In a new format, the executive project should be completed by the PTI.

15 Cultural heritage

It requires the application of municipal law, with public actions to preserve and promote historic buildings and the creation of museums and memory houses.