The abbreviations that name the roads have embedded codes that explain what type of road each one is. The two letters indicate whether it is federal (in this case, the name starts with BR) or state (names starting with state abbreviations, such as PE, AM and RS). In the case of federal highways, responsibility for taking care of the asphalt and installing signs lies with the Union, while on state highways, the state government is responsible for taking care of the roads.
There are also municipal highways, but these have names, not acronyms — for example, Estrada Municipal São João de Menti (RJ). Adding paved and unpaved roads, Brazil has 1.7 million km of highways, and only about 13% are paved.
– (Daniele Doneda/)
on the road
All feds started in BR, but the number depends on the direction
RADIAL HIGHWAYS
They are the ones that depart from Brasilia towards the interior, drawing a circle around the federal capital. There are only eight radial roads: BR-010, 020, 030, 040, 050, 060, 070 and 080. The BR-020, for example, connects Brasília to Fortaleza
LONGITUDINAL HIGHWAYS
They cross the country in a north-south direction. There are 14 highways of this type, whose number ranges from 100 to 199, with 100 to 150 being roads east of Brasília and 151 to 199 west of the capital. The BR-153, for example, connects Marabá (PA) to Aceguá (RS)
CROSS ROADS
There are 21 roads that cross the country in an east-west direction. They range from 200 to 299, with 200 to 250 for the roads north of Brasília and 250 to 299 for roads south of the Federal District. The BR-230, for example, connects Cabedelo (PB) to Benjamin Constant (AM)
DIAGONAL ROADS
Follow the directions northwest-southeast or northeast-southwest. The number varies from 300 to 399, with the even ones crossing the country in a northwest-southeast direction and the odd ones heading in a northeast-southwest direction. The BR-364, for example, runs from Limeira (SP) to Rodrigues Alves (AC)
CONNECTION ROADS
These highways connect two highways or at least one federal highway and an important point. There are 85 diagonal roads numbered from 400 to 499, with those from 400 to 450 passing north of the parallel of Brasilia and those from 451 to 499 passing to the south. The BR-407, for example, runs from Piripiri (PI) to Anajé (BA)
Even or odd?
In state states, the rule is similar, but there are fewer variations
The rules for naming state highways are very similar to federal ones. Radial highways, which connect the capital to the interior, receive even numbers. The roads with odd numbers are the transversal ones, which cross the state without going through the capital. In São Paulo, for example, the SP-270 goes from the capital to Presidente Prudente, reaching the border with Mato Grosso do Sul. The SP-425 goes from the north of the state, starting in Miguelópolis, and reaches the border with Paraná .
Source National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT)