Caminos Básicos 5000 hits 2,000km mark

Chile's public works ministry has completed 2,000km of its "Caminos Básicos 5000" highway improvement program, with the inauguration of the Paredones-El Calvario road in Region VI, the ministry reported. Caminos Básicos, which began last year and will run through 2006, focuses on improving rural roads by using alternative materials such as bischofite, a natural compound made up of magnesium salts and table salt. The use of alternative materials brings costs down from an average of 150mn pesos/km (US$235,000/km) to 30mn-50mn pesos/km, according to the ministry's national highway department. Chile's highway networks extend over 80,000km, of which 62,000km are not paved.