Ministry, consortium sign Iquique hwy access agreement

Chile's public works ministry and a private-sector consortium have signed a pre-agreement to push forward a US$65mn concession project to improve access to Region I capital Iquique, the ministry said in a statement. International consultancy Steer Davies & Claever (sic) and local construction company Belfis (sic) make up the consortium, the statement said. The project entails a 35km access to Iquique from the Pan-American highway (Ruta 5) to be known as A16, and an access from the city to the airport, dubbed A1. The consortium has pledged to finance 50% of the project's 200mn peso (US$287,000) feasibility study, while local companies such as Iquique port company EPI and Region I mining companies Dona Ines de Collahuasi, Cerro Colorado, Quebrada Blanca and Salina Punta Lobos said they would finance the other half.