Chile-Argentina tunnel passes administrative hurdle

The Agua Negra tunnel project that will connect Chile and Argentina has now passed a further legislative stage. The Chamber of Deputies in Chile approved the second protocol for the construction of the Agua Negra link. When complete the new tunnel will connect Argentina’s San Juan Province with Chile's Coquimbo Region. The tender process for the project should be launched in July 2015. The tunnel will be of major importance for both countries, providing an important link and carrying traffic that now has to pass through other connections with limited capacity and that are vulnerable to poor winter conditions. As it will be constructed at an altitude and in a remote area, the project will not be without its challenges however. Much of the route lies in Argentina, but Chilean tunnelling expertise will likely play a major role in its construction.