ANTT suspends new radars in Paraná; sections in Ponta Grossa and region are on the list
Pilot project that calculates the average speed of vehicles was suspended in 13 stretches of Paraná highways. Agency confirms no driver was fined by the new system
The National Land Transport Agency (ANTT) has suspended the pilot project of the new radars that calculate the average speed of vehicles on highways of the Paraná. The measure reaches 13 stretches in the state, including points on BR-376, between Ponta Grossa and Tibagi, and PR-151, between Ponta Grossa and Carambeí.
The suspension was formalized by decisions signed last Friday (18) and published in the Official Gazette of the Union on Monday (21). The determination interrupts the implementation of the project until technical adjustments are made related to road signs and communication with drivers.
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According to ANTT, the resumption of the tests will depend on a new authorization from the Superintendence of Road Infrastructure (SUROD). There is no forecast for the return of the project.
Which snippets of Ponta Grossa and region would be monitored?
Of the 13 Paraná stretches included in the pilot project, four are located in Ponta Grossa and municipalities of the Campos Gerais region. In BR-376, the tests were planned for three points: between Mauá da Serra and Ortigueira, from km 304 to km 309; in Tibagi, from km 430 to km 435; and between Tibagi and Ponta Grossa, from km 441 to km 446.
Another monitoring point was planned for PR-151, between Carambeí and Ponta Grossa, from km 306 to km 315, over a nine-kilometre extension. The project also included sections of the BR-277, BR-163, PR-444 and PR-862 highways in different regions of Paraná.
The concessionaires responsible for the respective sections would be in charge of carrying out the experimental monitoring, which would have an initial duration of 180 days after the effective deployment of the equipment.
How do medium speed radars work?
Unlike conventional radars, which record the speed of a vehicle at a specific point on the highway, the new system uses two monitoring points to calculate the average speed during a given route.
In practice, the equipment records the passage of the vehicle at the beginning and at the end of a stretch. From the distance travelled and the time spent by the driver, the system calculates the average speed developed during the journey. The objective of the project is to evaluate the operation of the technology, its reliability and the behavior of the drivers.
The model also allows to identify situations where a driver slows down when passing through a conventional radar, but speeds back up above the allowed limit along the highway.
Are drivers fined for the new radars?
ANTT clarified that no driver received a fine or any other penalty based on the average speed control system. Since the authorization of the tests, the project was exclusively technical, educational and experimental. The data collected could not be used to impose fines on drivers.
The agency also stressed that any future use of the technology for enforcement with penalties will depend on new technical, regulatory and legal assessments, in addition to the necessary authorizations. The suspension of the pilot project does not mean the switching off of conventional radars or the release to traffic above the speed limits. Drivers must continue to respect traffic signs and rules.
When will the new radars work again?
ANTT said it will make technical, procedural and operational adjustments before defining the next steps of the project. The decision also provides for the review of studies related to signage and communication with highway users.
To date, no new date has been announced for the resumption of the tests on the Paraná or in the other states participating in the initiative.
