It covers a total distance of 402 kilometres (250 mi), starting at the Trevo das Margaridas in Rio de Janeiro and ending at the junction with Marginal Tietê in São Paulo.

[1] At the end of the 1940s industrialization and the necessity of a faster, safer and more efficient and modern road connection of the two biggest Brazilian cities led to the construction of the Rodovia Presidente Dutra as it is known today.

It was a two-lane road with exception of the stretches between São Paulo and Guarulhos and in the Baixada Fluminense where it was a four-lane dual carriageway.

The highway is managed and maintained by a state concession to the private company NovaDutra S/A since March 1996, and therefore is a toll road.

From that transfer of ownership up to today it has largely improved in road quality and safety.