Paperwork issues held back the confirmation of external technical support being supplied for an important dual carriageway project in Peru. However, it now looks as if the issues have been resolved and the work to improve National Route 22 to dual carriageway status can go ahead.
Peru’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) has been seeking backing to support work on the 136km Carretera Central dual carriageway. Discussions between the Peruvian Government and French Government have resulted in technical assistance being secured for the road upgrade project.
Complications arose from the fact that the French offer did not meet some of the necessary terms from Peru for such international contracts.
The road runs from Lima to Junin, a distance of 174km, and features a single lane in either direction. The upgrade work to two lanes in either direction will boost capacity as well as safety on the route. The current road suffers blockages from landslides and the improvement work include measures taken to reduce this problem, including the construction of new tunnel stretches. Completion is expected in 2025. The work is expected to cost US$3.2 billion.