Skip to main content

Colombia approves highway plan funding

Colombia has approved US$13.4 billion in funding for nine highway projects, part of a master plan to revamp and expand Latin America's fourth largest road network. All nine projects are part of the Autopistas para la Prosperidad program, which involves the construction of some 838 kilometres of two-lane highways, 63 kilometres of bridges and 90 kilometres of tunnels. The government also decided to finance directly the construction of Toyo tunnel, ruling out the concession framework for that project.
March 10, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

Colombia has approved US$13.4 billion in funding for nine highway projects, part of a master plan to revamp and expand Latin America's fourth largest road network.

All nine projects are part of the Autopistas para la Prosperidad program, which involves the construction of some 838 kilometres of two-lane highways, 63 kilometres of bridges and 90 kilometres of tunnels.

The government also decided to finance directly the construction of Toyo tunnel, ruling out the concession framework for that project.

"Nine projects have been approved, eight of them will be under a public-private partnership and one will be entirely financed by the state," president Juan Manuel Santos said in a public speech in western Antioquia department.

Conexión Norte, a US$500 million, 146 kilometre highway in north-west Colombia is scheduled to be awarded in the first quarter. In the second quarter, national infrastructure agency ANI will name the winners in the tenders for Conexión Pacífico 1, Río Magdalena 2 and Conexión Pacífico 3, among other projects, for more than US$2.5 billion.

Río Magdalena 1, Autopista al Mar 1 and Autopista al Mar 2 are planned to be awarded in the third quarter for US$2.66 billion.

Colombia plans to award at least 25 highway projects in 2014 under a US$21 billion plan dubbed 4G. 

Related Content

  • Santa Catarina to call urban roadworks tenders
    January 14, 2015
    The city of Joinville in Brazil's Santa Catarina state will call around US$41.7 million in urban roadworks tenders in the first quarter of 2015. With financing from federal savings bank Caixa agreed, procurement for the 36-month project can begin. "According to our schedule, a tender should be launched by March," a spokesperson said. Works, which fall under phase 2 of the federal government's growth acceleration plan, PAC, include building 55 kilometres of exclusive bus lanes, 91 bus stops and one cen
  • Australia’s infrastructure spending plans
    May 14, 2014
    In its federal budget announced on 13 May 2014, the Australian government announced plans for new infrastructure projects costing US$117.04 billion to keep the economy going after the mining boom ends. The new funding and existing projects are expected to boost infrastructure investment to US$47 billion by end of the decade. The government will invest US$11 billion to fast track infrastructure projects including US$3.4 billion for road projects, US$4.6 billion to asset-recycling fund for states and US$2.
  • Sanral gets US$770 million for freeway project
    June 21, 2012
    South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has received a bailout of over US$770 million from the government for its Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP). The cash injection is a bailout for the electronic toll system which cost an estimated US$2.66 billion, much of it which still has to be paid for. The cash injection will enable tolls to pay for over 25 per cent of the cost of the project and enable the planned toll charges, due to be introduced on highways on 30 April, 2012 to be reduced by 25 pe
  • Varying acceptance of tolling in Africa
    January 6, 2016
    Tolling technology is now at an advanced state but governments have a key role in ensuring the success of schemes as is evident in Africa. Shem Oirere reports. According to the African Development Bank, the continent has an estimated $46bn of infrastructure financing deficit. The bank says sub-Saharan Africa requires $93bn annually to meet its infrastructure development needs - but only half of the financing is available.