Skip to main content

New tunnel link proposed for Colombia

Even as work continues on La Linea tunnel in Colombia, the country’s government has received a proposal for an additional tunnel link. A consortium made up of Colombian companies and Italian firms has suggested building a new tunnel to link Quindio and Tolima. Odinsa, Mincivil, Impregilo and Salini are involved in the consortium and have suggested a PPP as being a possible model under which to construct the link, which could cost in the order of US$531 million and would be 8.5km long. The economic case for
July 23, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Even as work continues on La Linea tunnel in Colombia, the country’s government has received a proposal for an additional tunnel link. A consortium made up of Colombian companies and Italian firms has suggested building a new tunnel to link Quindio and Tolima. 3214 Odinsa, Mincivil, 3149 Impregilo and Salini are involved in the consortium and have suggested a PPP as being a possible model under which to construct the link, which could cost in the order of US$531 million and would be 8.5km long. The economic case for this new route has yet to be made clear as the tunnel would lie comparatively close to the La Linea tunnel.

Progress with the current La Linea tunnel project in Colombia has been slow due to a series of delays. This link will connect Calarca and Cajamarca in the central Corderilla of the Colombian Andes and at around 8.6km, will be the longest road tunnel in Latin America when complete. When open to traffic La Linea tunnel will reduce travel times along Route 40 between Bogota and Cali and also the port of Buenaventura. This difficult project has met with numerous challenges, from technical, financial and legal standpoints. Altitude has not made the project any easier either and one tunnel portal is at 2,400m above sea level while the other is at 2,500m. However when it is complete the benefit to the Colombian economy will be significant as it will improve transport and cut accidents by replacing a treacherous existing route. From an engineering standpoint, the opening of La Linea tunnel will be a significant achievement for Colombia’s construction industry.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Colombia’s La Linea tunnel seeing funding solution?
    October 22, 2014
    The Colombian Government is keen to retart work on the important La Linea Tunnel link. The project has been delayed for a number of reasons and on a number of occasions since it was first envisaged. Engineering firm Valores y Contratos (Valorcon) has now been suggested as a likely candidate to become a strategic partner to join the Union Temporal Segundo Centenario joint venture that will carry out the La Linea tunnel scheme. Valorcon would provide sufficient cash flow US$68 million, either directly or thro
  • McBains Cooper wins PPP consultancy contract in Medellin, Colombia
    May 18, 2016
    Construction consultants McBains Cooper has won a contract to help improve public-private partnership skill for the Colombian city of Medellin. McBains will train Medellin PPP Agency to help implement PPP procured projects in the city, Colombia’s second largest. Apart from road works that will include a new urban highway, projects will be across the transportation sector as well as in education such as school construction. Santiago Klein, international director at McBains Cooper, said the objective of
  • Colombia bridges for redesign and repairs
    October 12, 2020
    Two key Colombian bridges are to be redesigned and repaired.
  • Colombia’s key road transport projects
    May 10, 2019
    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 b