BR-324 Closed After New Sinkhole Opens, Causing 4km Traffic Jam

A section of the BR-324 highway in Simões Filho, in Salvador's Metropolitan Region, remains closed on Friday, May 10th, due to a new sinkhole that appeared this week. This closure is causing a significant traffic jam of approximately 4 kilometers heading towards Feira de Santana. According to the Federal Highway Police (PRF), drivers are experiencing around 30 minutes of delays passing kilometer 604. Traffic is being rerouted to the side road while the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT) conducts repair work. In the direction of Salvador, the left lane is still closed, with vehicles only using the right lane. The PRF also noted that the congestion on BR-324 is impacting traffic within Simões Filho itself, as drivers use urban streets as alternative routes, increasing local vehicle flow. PRF and DNIT teams are on-site managing traffic and monitoring the situation. No estimated time for the full reopening of the affected stretch has been provided. The issue began on Tuesday, May 7th, when DNIT identified a structural failure caused by an old culvert beneath the road. After a 24-hour closure for repairs on Wednesday, May 8th, the section towards Feira de Santana was reopened. However, on Thursday morning, May 9th, a new sinkhole emerged at the same location, prompting the PRF to re-close the road entirely in that direction. DNIT stated that the leak in the culvert causing the road collapse has been fixed, but structural repairs are ongoing with no completion date set.