Skip to main content

Chile approves construction of the Agua Negra project through the Andes

Plans for a cross-continent upgraded road were recently boosted when Chile’s senate approved construction of its share of a major US$1.6 billion tunnel in the Andes Mountains. The Chilean approval comes after the Argentinian government gave the nod in March for construction on its section of the Agua Negra project. A tender for specific design work could be put out by September, according to the Argentinian newspaper Diario de Cuyo. The approvals resolve a number of bilateral issues including taxation
August 13, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
Plans for a cross-continent upgraded road were recently boosted when Chile’s senate approved construction of its share of a major US$1.6 billion tunnel in the Andes Mountains.

The Chilean approval comes after the Argentinian government gave the nod in March for construction on its section of the Agua Negra project. A tender for specific design work could be put out by September, according to the Argentinian newspaper Diario de Cuyo.

The approvals resolve a number of bilateral issues including taxation, work laws, migration and customs. There are 18 consortia interested in the initiative, according to the newspaper.

A road across the Agua Negra Pass at 4,780m connects the provinces of San Juan in Argentina and the region of Coquimbo, Chile. But the sand and gravel pass is often closed due to poor weather during winter months of May to October.

The project, part of the Bioceanic Central Corridor, would connect the Chilean port of Coquimbo on South America’s Pacific Ocean coast with the Atlantic port of Porto Alegre in Brazil. The tunnel itself would join the Argentine town of Lujan de Cuyo, located in the province of Mendoza, with Los Andes, in Chile’s Valparaiso region,

In April last year, %$Linker: 2 Internal <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 2 17409 0 oLinkExternal World Highways reported Visit www.worldhighways.com website false /categories/road-highway-structures/features/agua-negra-tunnel-between-chile-and-argentina/ false false%> on the latest thinking behind the project.

The pass can be accessed from the Argentine side via National Highway No 150 from the province of La Rioja, which runs for 390km. From the Chilean side, the pass can be accessed by Highway 41 CH which begins in the city of La Serena and is paved up to the customs house.

The highway project consists of two parallel tunnels to carry two traffic lanes. The tunnels, almost 14km long, would have a maximum width of 11m and a maximum incline limited to 4%. Maximum speed would be 100km/h with a maximum cant, or camber, of 2.5%.

The only totally paved road between Chile and Argentina is the Cristo Redentor Pass, also called the Paso Internacional Los Libertadores. It links the cities of Mendoza, in Argentina, to Santiago de Chile and Valparaiso, through the 3.04km International Cristo Redentor Tunnel.

The tunnel, at 3,185m above sea level, was opened in 1980.Two out of every three tonnes of freight that move overland across the southern Andes have to use this route. But the pass is closed for up to 60 days during the winter.

Chile and Argentina are also planning the Aconcagua Bi-Oceanic railway project, a 52km tunnel over the Cristo Redentor Pass. The route would be bi-modal, with train cars having roll-on roll-off truck access for the journey.

Related Content

  • New tunnel between Argentina and Chile proves strong attraction for contractors
    November 27, 2013
    Interest is strong in the project to build the 14km tunnel link between Chile and Argentina, with reports stating that 23 firms having expressed an interest in the work. The twin tube tunnel will connect Argentina’s San Juan Province with Chile’s Coquimbo Province (Region IV) and will be constructed in the Andes Mountains. The Agua Negra project is set to cost somewhere in the range from US$800 million to $1 billion, although the exact price of the project has yet to be determined. Some 72% of the link will
  • Plans are moving ahead on the new Argentina-Chile tunnel
    June 24, 2013
    Plans are progressing with regard to the Agua Negra tunnel that will connect Argentina and Chile and is expected to cost in excess of US$850 million. The authorities in San Juan province are calling for proposals to construct the tunnel and have published the terms and conditions for the tender. Those interested in the project will have to submit their proposals before 4th October 2013. A number of companies have shown an interest in the project including firms from Brazil, China, Germany, South Korea, Swit
  • Border crossing boost for Chile and Argentina
    February 24, 2012
    The authorities in Chile and Argentina are discussing upgrades that can be made to several border crossings between the two countries.
  • Argentina-Chile Agua Negra tunnel passes key preliminary stage
    February 17, 2015
    The Argentinean Senate is giving preliminary approval for the Agua Negra tunnel project. This is a key stage in the planning for the tunnel, which will link Argentina and Chile. The preliminary stages involve discussing the Maipu Treaty and various procedural agreements between the governments of both countries, an important step forward from the frosty relations between the two nations in the past. Further discussions will be held by the authorities in Argentina while the Chilean Government will be evaluat