Skip to main content

Colombian highway projects under development

A finance package has been secured in Colombia for the Autopista al Mar 1 highway project. A loan worth close to US$206 million is being provided by the national development bank, Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional (FDN). The highway forms part of Colombia’s 4G infrastructure development plan and the finance package will be provided in three separate tranches. The construction work is being carried out by a consortium comprising Strabag, Concay and Sacyr Concesiones. The project will upgrade the 71km
June 29, 2018 Read time: 2 mins

A finance package has been secured in Colombia for the Autopista al Mar 1 highway project. A loan worth close to US$206 million is being provided by the national development bank, Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional (FDN). The highway forms part of Colombia’s 4G infrastructure development plan and the finance package will be provided in three separate tranches.

The construction work is being carried out by a consortium comprising Strabag, Concay and Sacyr Concesiones. The project will upgrade the 71km existing route connecting Santa Fe in Antioquia and Bolombolo. The work also includes widening the 43km route between Medellin and Santa Fe, in Antioquia Department. Other key portions of the project include the construction of the 4.6km Tunel de Occidente as well as building no less than 39 bridges.

Meanwhile work to build the Toyo Tunnel (Tunel del Toyo) in Antioquia Department is now around 64% complete. The tunnel measures 9.8km long and should be ready for traffic by 2022. The link is being built bya consortium comprising FCC Construction, Cass Builders and Company, Carlos Alberto Solarte and Estyma Studies and Handling. The tunnel route runs underneath the mountains of western Antioquia, an area that is difficult to access at present due to its challenging topography. Construction of the route will improve transport to the port of Uraba, located some 80km to the north of the city of Medellin. Work is also underway on the nearby Tunel 18, a 258m tunnel section located close to Canasgordas, as well as the Puente 13 bridge and a number of access roads

However there are questions surrounding the highway widening project  for the Bogota-Girardot route. A preliminary investigation is being carried out into the construction partnership handling the $586.3 million road widening work along a 154km stretch of the highway connecting the capital Bogota with Girardot. The investigation is being carried out by the official the industry and trade watchdog (SIC), focussing on the tender process.

Related Content

  • Colombia highway deal being arranged
    August 2, 2019
    Funding has been sourced for Colombia’s Autopista al Mar 2 fourth generation (4G) highway project. In all US$652 million has been secured for the work, with the China Development Bank providing $418 million. Other banks involved in the financing are Colombia’s Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional (FDN) and Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.
  • Colombian tunnel project moving ahead
    May 5, 2015
    The concession package for Colombia’s Toyo Tunnel project will be awarded in the third quarter of 2015. This has been announced by the authorities in Antioquia. The date has been set for September 28th for the concession to be awarded. The project will cost US$530.2 million, with the costs being split between the Medellin Council and the regional government. The 9.8km tunnel will help boost transport and trade between Medellin and Uraba. The regional government has launched a dedicated website with details
  • Colombian concession contracts cause concern
    June 13, 2014
    A report from insurance firm AIG warns that up to half of Colombia's 4G highway concessions could face financial hurdles due to over-estimated predictions of traffic flows. Colombia is at present putting out to tender its fourth generation (4G) concessions, which involve some US$25 billion in investment, reports Business News America. This investment is impressive and is Latin America's biggest move to expand and improve road infrastructure. But while many companies have shown interest and were prequalified
  • Major highway improvement project on track in Colombia
    February 29, 2016
    In Colombia plans are now in hand for a major highway improvement project. Concesión Pacífico Tres is joint concession operator of the tolled links for Colombia’s major commercial regions connecting with the Pacific port hub. US firm Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy has provided advice to Colombian Concessionaire Concesión Pacífico Tres SAS and its sponsors, MHC Ingeniería y Construcción de Obras Civiles and Construcciones El Cóndor, and Costa Rica’s infrastructure company Constructora MECO. The advice was