Skip to main content

Chile-Argentina tunnel project progress

Further progress is being made with the landmark Agua Negra Tunnel project that will connect Argentina and Chile. The new tunnel will run through the Andes mountain range, providing an improved highway link between the two nations, boosting trade and transport. The consortia pre-qualified for the tender process will be announced during November 2017.
October 20, 2017 Read time: 1 min

Further progress is being made with the landmark Agua Negra Tunnel project that will connect Argentina and Chile. The new tunnel will run through the Andes mountain range, providing an improved highway link between the two nations, boosting trade and transport. The consortia pre-qualified for the tender process will be announced during November 2017. Construction of the tunnel is expected to cost US$1.5 billion and could take up to 10 years to complete. Initial funding to help start some of the technical design and planning work on the project is being provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) in the shape of two loans. One loan of $130 million will be for Argentina while the other, of $150 million, will be for Chile. The IADB has said it will source the necessary funding for the entire project. The intended design of twin tube tunnels calls for parallel drives measuring 13.9m in diameter. Around 72% of the 14km route run through Argentina, connecting San Juan in Argentina with Coquimbo in Chile.

Related Content

  • El Sillar – Bolivia’s challenging road project
    February 6, 2020
    Construction of Bolivia’s El Sillar highway, the country’s most complicated road project – Mauro Nogarin reports
  • The tender process will open shortly in Bolivia for a key highway connection
    October 8, 2012
    A new road in Bolivia is planned to improve connections between Montero and Yapacani. A loan worth US$122 million for the project is being provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). Work on this four-lane road is being managed by Bolivia's road company ABC and the tender process is expected to open shortly. The 70km section of road will form part of the new Santa Cruz-Cochabamba highway. At present Bolivia's road network has a total length of 74,831km and this new highway project will help impr
  • Austria's new tunnel meets safety regulations
    July 13, 2012
    New safety regulations and high traffic volumes require new tunnel construction all across Europe. Mike Woof reports Anew highway tunnel now being built in Austria will boost traffic volumes and safety standards on a key European route. The existing Pfänder Tunnel lies close to Austria's borders with Germany and Switzerland and carries a heavy traffic volume, so a new parallel tunnel is under construction to help spread this load, increasing capacity as well as safety. Stringent tunnel safety standards have
  • TBM for Gotthard Tunnel drive
    August 9, 2024
    A new TBM will be used to drive the new Gotthard Tunnel tube.