President Costa e Silva Bridge (Rio x Niteroi Bridge) turns 50 years old in 2024 and is the main connection between the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Niterói and the interior of the State, especially the Lagos region and the north coast of Rio de Janeiro. The 13.29 km structure is part of the BR-101 Highway, which leaves the northeast of the country and runs along the coast towards the south. It is one of the largest bridges in the world in terms of built area, due to its length, width and height of the pillars and submerged foundations embedded in the rock at the bottom of Guanabara Bay. It has the largest continuous straight beam span in the world. The Central Span is 300 meters long and 72 meters high. The average daily volume is 150 thousand vehicles, in the directions Rio and Niteroi, and around 400 thousand people pass through.

The construction of the Rio-Niteroi Bridge is marked by many curiosities. One of them, for example, is the participation of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in the inauguration ceremony of the plaque that announced the start of works on November 9, 1968. However, construction effectively began in January 1969 and took five years to open on March 4, 1974.

Where it is: Over the waters of Guanabara Bay, connecting the Caju neighborhood, in Rio de Janeiro, to the center of Niterói.

How to get there: Bus on intercity lines, Taxi, App Car. In the direction of Rio x Niteroi, access is via Caju, in the Port Zone. In the direction of Niteroi x Rio, access is via Avenida do Contorno, in the central region of the city.