Skip to main content

Chile’s Chacao Bridge under construction

Construction work on Chile’s Chacao Bridge project is now underway. The 2.75km suspension bridge will connect the Chilean mainland with Chiloe Island. The bridge structure has been designed to flex so that It can cope with severe earthquakes, which present a risk in the area. The project is costing US$700 million to carry out with South Korean company Hyundai heading the construction. Building the link should take around five years with its completion set for 2023, although the work could be finished earlie
March 6, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Construction work on Chile’s Chacao Bridge project is now underway. The 2.75km suspension bridge will connect the Chilean mainland with Chiloe Island. The bridge structure has been designed to flex so that It can cope with severe earthquakes, which present a risk in the area. The project is costing US$700 million to carry out with South Korean company 236 Hyundai heading the construction. Building the link should take around five years with its completion set for 2023, although the work could be finished earlier if productivity targets are achieved.


The project to build a bridge to link Chiloe Island with mainland Chile has been planned for some time. However an earlier design was rejected as being too costly by the then 968 Chilean Government and any progress was then halted. This present design represents a substantial change from the original plan and the project has also benefited from a different funding package as well as a change in the Chilean Government.

Once the bridge opens to traffic it will replace a ferry service that connects with Chiloe Island at present. Journey times will be reduced from 30-45 minutes at present using the ferry service to just 2-3 minutes across the tolled bridge. The bridge project is intended to boost the economy of Chiloe Island and will help develop tourism in the area.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New safety barrier solutions protect road users
    February 21, 2012
    Novel safety barrier solutions are coming to market, writes Mike Woof The safety barrier market is a focus for innovative products designed to meet a range of different applications. The diverse range of vehicle types on the road poses numerous technical challenges to barrier manufacturers. At the same time, different applications such as motorcycle safety, end treatments, bridge barriers and roadside obstacle protection require novel solutions. Although motorcycles account for only a small proportion of ve
  • GPS machine control speeds dangerous road improvement
    April 11, 2012
    A Canadian contractor has carried out major roadworks to improve safety on a dangerous stretch of road, using technology to complete the work smoothly. Wiltech Developments, located in West Kelowna, British Columbia, has a great deal of experience. In the contracting sector. The firm works in most. of British Columbia and currently owns more than 40 pieces of heavy machinery, with the majority of these units featuring Trimble Grade Control equipment, a move that has improved its operations.
  • New Tanzanian bridge project moving ahead
    August 2, 2019
    Tanzania’s planned Kigongo-Busisi Bridge will span part of Lake Victoria and improve transport connections for the country’s Mwanza Region.
  • Glasgow's new link opening
    February 28, 2012
    A new highway link is opening today in the Scottish city of Glasgow.