São Paulo Records Year's Worst Traffic Congestion Amid Rain
On Friday, May 15, 2026, São Paulo experienced its most severe traffic congestion of the year, driven by light rain during the late afternoon and early evening. According to data from the Engineering and Traffic Company (CET), the city recorded 1,348 kilometers of slow-moving traffic by 6:00 PM. This figure surpasses the previous yearly high of 1,313 kilometers set in February. Although traffic conditions gradually improved, congestion remained significant at 1,190 kilometers by 7:00 PM. The Pinheiros marginal road was identified as the most affected artery, with 22.4 kilometers of delays, followed by the Tietê expressway. The surge represented a 41% increase compared to the same time the previous week. For historical context, the all-time record for São Paulo remains 1,902 kilometers from September 2019, while the worst instance since the pandemic began was 1,510 kilometers in August 2024. The current data methodology involves a partnership between CET and the Waze application, monitoring approximately 20,000 kilometers of streets in the capital.
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