The São Paulo State Department of Highways (DER-SP) expects about 16.7 million vehicles on state roads during the October 9–12 holiday for Our Lady of Aparecida. The agency is deploying more than 1,400 staff and 315 vehicles to assist pilgrims and motorists.
The heaviest traffic is expected on routes to the sanctuary town of Aparecida and the São Paulo coast. Roads leading to Aparecida alone could carry more than 630,000 vehicles. DER-SP teams will cover roughly 12,000 kilometers of roads managed by the department, reinforcing signs and patrols, monitoring traffic and organizing access at busy stretches.
Staffing and roadside assistance will increase on the Oswaldo Cruz (SP-125) and Rio–Santos (SP-055) highways toward the coast. DER-SP will set up a support point for pilgrims inside the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, where staff will provide guidance and water. The department will also monitor the convoy carrying the statue of Our Lady of Aparecida.
The department identified periods when traffic is expected to be lighter. On Friday, October 9, these are midnight to 2 p.m. and after 10 p.m. On Saturday, October 10, they are before 6 a.m. and after 10 p.m. On Sunday, October 11, they are before 7 a.m. and after 9 p.m. On Monday, October 12, they are before 7 a.m. and after 10 p.m. DER-SP urged drivers to check their vehicles in advance and follow traffic laws.