The city of Sao Paulo has the third largest population in the world, with over 20 million inhabitants. With the concession to private enterprise in 1997, the introduction was initiated of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) on highways in the State of Sao Paulo. Viaoeste has already invested US$ 20 million on the installation of the first intelligent highway in the country. Ever since March, 1998, Viaoeste has been administering roughly 110 miles (170 km) of highways, including some sections of the Presidente Castello Branco and Raposo Tavares highways. Viaoeste connects the city of Sao Paulo to the West of the State and to neighboring countries such as Paraguay and Bolivia. The Presidente Castello Branco Highway was inaugurated in 1969, with a double roadway and three traffic lanes in either direction. By the early 1990's it was already saturated due to the increase in traffic along the route. This was especially true in the proximity of Sao Paulo city, where some 200 thousand vehicles circulate daily, causing heavy congestion. The Concession Contract signed between Viaoeste and the State Government included, in addition to the works for widening this congested section, a large investment in technology. This job undertaken by Viaoeste is now recognized as a first example of highway ITS in Brazil. Specifications for ITS systems were drawn up and divided into five main systems: Toll Systems, Traffic Control Systems, Communications Systems, Traffic Control Center, and Vehicle Weighing System.
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