INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT: what can be expected from the bridge Salvador-Itaparica? Bahia-Brazil

This paper aims at analyzing the design of the Road System of the West (SVO), which include the construction of Salvador-Itaparica Bridge, in the light of the discussions on the relationship between infrastructure and economic growth, as well as those that expand the focus to include issues relevant to development. This review was used to assess the project and to examine the social and economic preconditions that are present in four Territories of Identity that will suffer more directly their impacts (Metropolitana de Salvador, Recôncavo, Baixo Sul and Vale do Jiquiriçá). The analysis of the data and information does not allow us to postulate that the project of the Road System of the West and its Bridge could contribute significantly to mitigate the significant inequality and promote the endogenous and sustainable development of the territories.The approach used in this analysis, by rejecting the traditional economic view, extends the discussion of the relationship between investments in infrastructure and regional development using evidences from this case study.