Colombia’s tunnel of woe faces further setback

The troubled tunnel construction project in Colombia to build the La Linea link has faced yet a further setback in its long tale of woe. The tender for the completion of the final 12% of the tunnel project has not managed to attract any interest from contractors. The budget for this work is an estimated US$77 million. A new tender process is being launched, with a submission deadline of 6th June 2017 and planned winner announcement on 4th July 2017. The contractor that had been building the tunnel failed to
May 19, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
The troubled tunnel construction project in Colombia to build the La Linea link has faced yet a further setback in its long tale of woe. The tender for the completion of the final 12% of the tunnel project has not managed to attract any interest from contractors. The budget for this work is an estimated US$77 million. A new tender process is being launched, with a submission deadline of 6th June 2017 and planned winner announcement on 4th July 2017. The contractor that had been building the tunnel failed to meet the necessary completion deadline and was involved in a dispute with Colombia's National Road Institute (2812 Invias), resulting in the firm losing the contract. However the project has been delayed previously on many occasions and for many reasons, including having the wrong kind of insurance cover for the work and due to more challenging than anticipated geological conditions. Construction commenced in 2004 with the breakthrough occurring in 2008, while the tunnel was originally planned for completion in mid-2016 but will not be ready for use until 2018.


When the tunnel is complete it will connect Calarcá, Quindío and Cajamarca and provide a much safer and faster transport link than the present route over a mountain pass. Travel speeds are low along the existing route, which features several sharp curves and has an unenviable record for crashes. The 8.6km tunnel will provide a new connection for the National Route 40 highway joining Bogotá with Cali as well as the port of Buenaventura. The tunnel runs underneath the Cordillera Central range, with its western portal at an altitude of 2,420m and the eastern at 2,505m.

Finance & Funding

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Colombia bridges for redesign and repairs
    October 12, 2020
    Two key Colombian bridges are to be redesigned and repaired.
    Read More
  • 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
    Read More
  • Bancolombia boosts its investment in Colombia 4G road projects
    August 4, 2016
    Bancolombia has the largest involvement of all Colombia’s banks in the country’s 4G Road Programme after financial close of the Autopista Norte motorway project. The bank has around US$390 million invested in four out of five 4G road development projects that have secured the necessary funding so far, according to a report in Portafolio, an on-line economic magazine. The 145km Autopista Norte route connects the Caribbean port of Cartagena to the capital Bogota by way of the Ruta del Sol motorway, a 1,
    Read More
  • Colombia tunnel construction contract commencing
    February 5, 2018
    Driving work has commenced for Colombia’s Toro Tunnel project. The tunnel will measure 9.8km long and is located in Colombia’s Antioquia Department, with the completion expected in 2022. The project is costing US$650.5 million and the link is intended to provide a link between the Autopista al Mar 1 and Autopista al Mar 2 highways. When complete the tunnel will also cut the travel time between Medellin and Uraba to four hours.
    Read More

Highlighted Content