The completion of work on Colombia’s troubled tunnel project is now finally in sight. A new contractor will be selected by Colombia's National Road Institute (2812 Invias) to complete the last section of work required on the La Linea Tunnel. The winner of the tender process will be announced on 13th June 2017. An additional US$50 million is being budgeted by the Colombian authorities to complete the work. It is expected that in all, finishing the project will cost $86.6 million. Work still to be carried out includes tackling the geological problems along 1km of the main tunnel stretch as well as completing lining works on 2.8km of this section. Also remaining to be carried out are paving for 5.5km of roads and completing work on four small bridges in the approaches to the tunnel.
The project has had a somewhat torturous history, with numerous delays during its construction due to a series of different problems ranging from difficult geological conditions to the wrong kind of insurance cover. The construction firm Constructora Carlos Collins had previously been working on the project lost its contract when it failed to meet the deadline in 2016.
