Colombia’s massive highway programme is moving forward

Colombia is pushing ahead with its 4G road development programme. Progress is being made with the construction of the Girardot-Honda-Puerto Salgar road connection, which is expected to cost US$518.6 million and is around 37% complete. Financing has been found for 10 projects, although this has yet to be secured for a further nine of the planned projects. However only the Bucaramanga-Pamplona and Pamplona-Cucuta road projects planned for the third tranche of the 4G road programme have so far been awarded.

The budget for road infrastructure projects developed in the country’s Antioquia department has reached $5.25 billion and involve building or upgrading nearly 2,364km of roads. The projects also include work on 386 bridges and 31 tunnels. The new links will cut journey times between Colombia’s ports on the Caribbean coastline and the centre of the country.

Meanwhile the Concesionaria Desarrollo Vial al Mar (Devimar) consortium is having a loan from Colombia's national development bank Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional (FDN). This will allow work to be carried out on the 176km Mar 1 motorway project, with construction due to commence in 2018. Environmental permits have yet to be secured, along with the final financing package.