Colombia’s key road transport projects

A series of major road transport projects are moving ahead in Colombia, with the country’s national infrastructure agency (ANI), handling most of the deals. In the country’s capital, Bogota, design work is now complete on the Calle 13 and Accesos Norte II road projects. The Calle 13 project will see an 11.5km section of route widened so that it features three lanes in either direction. The work will also include building new facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. This project is expected to cost US$1.15 billion. The Accesos Norte II project meanwhile is for the rebuilding of a 10.4km stretch of road, which will feature five lanes in either direction for all vehicles as well as a dedicated bus lane. The work will cost an estimated $493 million, with funding being provided by tolling. Contracts for both the Calle 13 and Accesos Norte II road projects should be awarded by the end of 2019.

A new bridge measuring 740m is being built on the road connecting Girardot with Ibague and Cajamarca road in Tolima department. At the same time, a 6km road section is being built between Chicoral and Gualanday. Repairs and upgrade works are also being carried out on the roads connecting Bogota with Villavicencio and Bogota with Villeta. Two new interchanges are being built for the road connecting Armenia with Pereira and Manizales, with improvements also being carried out on the road linking Tibu and Convencion.

However delays to a number of projects have been caused by the termination of road contracts with Grupo Solarte. Work on the road connecting Santana with Mocoa and Neiva will now be carried out by Grupo Ethuss. This 447km road link will be handled under a concession deal. It was originally expected to cost some $956 million to carry out but now could cost as much as $1.02 billion. Work on the road connecting Popayan with Santander de Quilichao is due to commence once the contract has been agreed fully. This work is now expected to cost up to $493 million compared with the £404 million originally estimated.