parish church, completed on 15 December 1957. This church was demolished in 2008 and a new, larger parish church is currently being built to serve the local population. Avenida Marechal Tito The arrival of the Central do Brasil Railroad improved transport connections with São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, but road travel remained very difficult. In 1908 it took the French motorist Conde Lesdain (Comte de Lesdain) 45 days to complete the journey between the two cities by car. Under his slogan "to govern is to open roads", Washington Luís, Mayor of São Paulo (1914–1919), Governor of the State of São Paulo (1920–1924) and President of the Republic (1926–1930), encouraged the expansion of the urban highways network, largely following the pattern laid down during the colonial era. In 1922 he opened the São Paulo-Rio Highway, following one of the traditional colonial era routes and passing through São Miguel Paulista, Itaim Paulista and Mogi das Cruzes en route to Jacareí. In 1928 when the road was fully opened the journey took 10 hours. Complementing the existing railroad service, the new highway helped encourage the growth of Itaim Paulista. Over time the highway became an important route serving the town center of Itaim Paulista and an integral part of the local urban road network. Since the opening of the President Dutra Highway (BR-116) in 1951 the old highway has ceased to be the principal connection between São Paulo and Rio. When Itaim Paulista became a self-administering authority in its own right the road was given its present name, commemorating the President of Yugoslavia who died in 1980. Today the Avenida Marechal Tito is the main thoroughfare of Itaim Paulista, lined by impressive buildings and serving all the town's most important facilities and attractions. The former diamond-shaped paving blocks have now been replaced by an asphalt surface. Other important roads in the town are Avenida Kemel Addas, Viaduto Carlito Maia, Estrada Dom João Nery, Rua Doutor José Pereira Gomes, Rua Itajuíbe, Avenida Barão de Alagoas, Avenida Itaim and Rua Tibúrcio de Souza. Itaim Paulista Rail Station Construction of the Poá branch line (also known as the Calmon Viana branch) began in 1921. To make freight transport easier the track had fewer curves than the São Paulo branch. Itaim Paulista Station was completed and officially opened on 7 February 1926 but construction work on the line was abandoned for eight years and the line