Participação social e percepção socioambiental: análise dos impactos de prolongamento de via urbana, Belém, Pará.

Abstract

This work analyzed the social participation and the socioenvironmental perception of the residents who were affected by the construction of an urban highway between the municipalities of Belém and Ananindeua, in the State of Pará. The work called Extension of João Paulo II Avenue, has been underway since year of 2013, the work has the objective to interconnect the two municipalities and to unload the intense traffic of the region. It was investigated how the neighbors of the work were affected by the changes in the region (social, environmental and socio-environmental changes). For data collection, questionnaires were applied to residents of neighborhoods affected by the extension work. The results show that the residents consider themselves to be knowledgeable about the work and the environmental changes that have been established, but consider that the information provided by the responsible ones (Government of the State of Pará and Construction Company) is insufficient. The low social participation in decision making was revealed, and that even the interviewees affirm the importance of meetings and organization in the neighborhoods, the number of active residents in the associations is very small. More than 60% of the interviewees claimed that they had not participated in any movement to discuss the work, and also stated that they had not been consulted, either by agencies of the State of Pará or by the construction company responsible for the work, about the changes resulting from the project. The residents showed their longing for improvement in quality of life. The work presented a general perspective on the work, not only aiming at improving the capital traffic, but also the impacts caused by the work of extension.