Neither park nor demolition: the majority prefers the current Minhocão

Inaugurated in 1971, the João Goulart elevated highway, popularly known as the Minhocão, has been a subject of criticism, study, and a landmark in the city of São Paulo. In 2014, its future was determined when the Strategic Master Plan introduced a specific law for its progressive decommissioning for cars, scheduled for completion by 2029. However, its ultimate fate remains uncertain: what will become of it when this happens? Will it be transformed into a park or demolished?

Datafolha surveyed 1,092 São Paulo residents on September 21 and 22, 2020. According to the survey, the results show that:

• 54% believe the elevated highway should be kept as it is, operating as an expressway during the day and closed to traffic at night and on weekends to open access for pedestrians;
• 30% want the elevated highway to be turned into a park;
• 7% advocate for the structure to be completely demolished;
• The remainder had no opinion on the matter.

Other interesting data for a broader perspective reveals that:

• 52% of respondents have never used or do not usually use the elevated highway;
• 46% use the Minhocão (of these, 38% by car and only 12% for leisure).

Several conclusions can be drawn from the survey:

The number of people who support converting the elevated highway into a park has grown, up from just 23% in the 2014 survey. Meanwhile, the percentage of people who favor demolition has remained the same. Today, more people have formed an opinion on the matter: only 10% of respondents in the current survey had no opinion, down from 17% in the previous one. 

As expected, responses from those who cross the Minhocão by car differ from those who use it as a leisure space. Among drivers, 64% want the structure kept as it is, while 26% advocate for its transformation into a park. Among pedestrians, 47% believe it should remain as is, and 40% want a park built on the site. 

The ongoing debate surrounding the Minhocão arises because the same Strategic Master Plan that mandates its complete decommissioning as a traffic route also established a specific law to determine its future: whether it will be demolished or transformed into a park. Consequently, as decommissioning approaches, the clash of opinions intensifies.

On one hand, supporters advocate for the elevated highway as a leisure space for sports and recreation. On the other hand, others point to the benefits of demolition, which would allow for the restoration of urban quality of life along the avenues and public spaces surrounding and running beneath the structure.

According to Folha de S. Paulo, the Master Plan is scheduled for review next year, leaving an opening to alter the fate of the elevated highway. In 2018, the City Council approved a law establishing the creation of the park through an Urban Intervention Plan (PIU). The move was challenged in court, and in early September, the São Paulo City Council approved a legislative decree determining that city residents will decide the highway's fate through a public referendum, which could take place in 2022.

Source: Folha de S. Paulo and Datafolha