Chile’s highway plans crucial for economy

Chile’s highway development programme is crucial to the country’s future economic growth. That is the finding of a study by the OECD. According to the report, a 27% increase in highway development is required around Chile’s around cities and ports by 2030. This is because Chile's economy relies heavily on exports. However, a possible hold-up could come from delays facing key highway projects at present. In particular, delays due to environmental assessments are holding back progress with three transport lin
May 19, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Chile’s highway development programme is crucial to the country’s future economic growth. That is the finding of a study by the OECD. According to the report, a 27% increase in highway development is required around Chile’s around cities and ports by 2030. This is because Chile's economy relies heavily on exports. However, a possible hold-up could come from delays facing key highway projects at present. In particular, delays due to environmental assessments are holding back progress with three transport link projects. The projects have already been awarded to concessionaires. Work on the US$870 million Americo Vespucio Oriente highway has been delayed for 37 months as the project has yet to receive an environmental permit. Work on the $130 million New Industrial Bridge over the Biobío River has been delayed by 28 months while work on the $120 million El Melon Tunnel has been delayed by 10 months. The Chilean Chamber of Construction (CChC) has voice its criticisms of the environmental assessment process as it does not have any specific time limits. Instead the CChC has called for better coordination between State bodies.

Finance & Funding

Related Content

  • Chile requires transport investment
    May 13, 2014
    Chilean construction organisation CChC has published a study saying the country needs to spend some US$12.5 billion on road upgrades and construction over the next 10 years. This is because the country’s vehicle numbers are increasing, according to Business News Americas. The report says that Chile needs to expand its road network by 12,500km to 90,000km by 2023 to keep pace with the growing volume of traffic. Some 4,000km of the proposed new road should be highway or toll road, according to the study. To r
    Read More
  • Bolivia's Santa Cruz road corridor connector project
    December 22, 2016
    Bolivia’s ambitious Santa Cruz road corridor connector project is providing an important link for the country - Gordon Feller writes The World Bank has been organising a US$230 million loan to upgrade a vital connector linking the country’s northern and southern transit corridors. Meanwhile, another $100 million is coming from Bolivia’s government.
    Read More
  • Highly relevant: Denmark’s asset management for bridges
    July 12, 2019
    A well-maintained road bridge network is vital to Denmark’s economy. David Arminas caught up with Niels Pedersen, head of bridges at the Danish Road Directorate Denmark, being a country mainly of islands, relies on its bridges and tunnels to help unify the nation culturally. It also means that they are vastly more important to the economic well-being of the nation than in most other states. The World Bank has classified Denmark as a high-income economy. In 2017 it ranked 16th globally in terms of gros
    Read More
  • Chile approves construction of the Agua Negra project through the Andes
    August 13, 2015
    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
    Read More

Highlighted Content