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.

Road Structures

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Colombia key tunnel project – new completion date
    March 6, 2019
    A new completion date has been set for the La Linea Tunnel project in Colombia. The work should now be finished in late 2020, although the project was originally intended to be ready by late 2016. The various contracts to complete the Cruce de la Cordillera Central route will be awarded in April 2019 by the national road institute (Invias). The contracts will include strict measures to ensure that contractors will comply with all the terms of the deal. The Colombian Government previously allotted US$204.5 m
    Read More
  • Indian highways road construction
    April 16, 2012
    Superlatives, once applied only to China's phenomenal growth, are now being used for India. Patrick Smith reports Those involved with the Naini Bridge in Allahabad are so proud of the result that they have set up an exhibition centre detailing its construction.
    Read More
  • New Argentina highway construction work
    January 11, 2019
    Construction is underway for Argentina’s new Mendoza-San Juan Highway – Mauro Nogarin reports The rehabilitation and maintenance works of more than 3,300km of routes is now underway in Argentina. This followed on after the takeover of six new road corridors under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, which took place in August 2018. The rehabilitation and maintenance works are being carried out prior to the start of the main projects, which will include the construction of highways. Building the
    Read More
  • Bridge under discussion for UK's Thames River
    March 22, 2012
    Engineering specialist AECOM will carry out a study into the proposed Lower Thames Crossing project in the UK.
    Read More

Highlighted Content