Itabuna advances Airport Master Plan for southern Bahia

Itabuna has taken a historic step towards a new era in logistics infrastructure and economic development in southern Bahia. On Tuesday (21), Itabuna City Hall, through the Infrastructure and Urban Development Secretariat (SIURB), welcomed airport infrastructure engineer Mozart Alemão, representing Mozart Alemão Ltda., the company appointed to prepare the municipality’s Airport Master Plan.

The meeting was held in the office of SIURB Secretary Sônia Fontes and attended by City Hall technicians, architects, engineers and surveyors. They examined and discussed key elements of the Master Plan, including suitable technical solutions for developments of this kind, the logistics and freight focus, urban planning, infrastructure, safety and the expansion area.

Itabuna Airport Master Plan

Airport infrastructure engineer Mozart Alemão explained that Itabuna’s Airport Master Plan is an official technical document, fundamental to zoning and reserving land within the municipality. These areas will provide the basis for future detailed design projects, making the construction of an airport possible.

According to him, this preliminary study has a broad scope, assessing demand and the economic circumstances of the municipality, the southern Bahia region and the state. Its purpose is to demonstrate the need for a new airport serving not only Itabuna, but its entire area of influence.

“As Itabuna is a strategic logistics hub for the interior of Bahia, the Master Plan examines the local economic make-up, with particular emphasis on the tertiary sector and healthcare, to show that airport infrastructure is a necessary requirement for regional development,” Mozart said.

At the technical meeting, an assessment and diagnosis were presented confirming that the provisionally selected site is suitable for the airport’s construction.

Planning for logistics and regional growth

Secretary Sônia Fontes said the initiative marks substantial progress because it enables the area that will accommodate the major facility to be defined. She also highlighted plans to dual the BR-415 along the section between the Nova Itabuna and Nova Ferradas neighbourhoods.

“Organising the growth of this expanding urban zone, with a projection of five to ten years, is a fundamental strategic objective for the municipality. In doing so, we seek to ensure that Itabuna’s territory has the capacity needed in the future to host a development of regional importance, securing economic and social development,” Sônia Fontes commented.

The meeting also addressed preparing the city for local and regional economic growth driven by projects such as the East-West Integration Railway (FIOL) and Porto Sul, where work is being resumed.

“The aim is to complement Ilhéus’s infrastructure, providing a logistics alternative that will drive development across the entire micro-region,” stated the secretary, who also noted that the neighbouring city remains focused on tourism and environmental conservation.

“While Ilhéus retains its ecological and tourism focus, Itabuna is preparing to make an airport geared towards freight and production possible, strengthening the expansion process throughout the wider region,” Sônia Fontes concluded.