Colombia roundup: Financial closure for Bogotá access, resources for tertiary roads

Colombia’s Accesos Norte phase II road project achieved financial closure for 700bn pesos (US$180mn), reported infrastructure agency ANI.

With the resources, the expansion of Bogotá’s north highway, Carrera Séptima and Perimetral de Sopó is ensured, the entity said in a statement.

The project was awarded in March 2022 for 29 years to the Estructura Plural Ruta Bogotá Norte consortium. It includes the construction of 18km of divided highway.

The concession is currently in the pre-construction phase as the concessionaire has not yet obtained all the environmental licenses for construction.

ANI estimates that construction, which is due to take five and a half years, will begin in the second half of the year.

The works are considered strategic for connections between the northern area of Bogotá and Cundinamarca, Boyacá and Santander departments.

Accesos Norte II is part of the first wave of concessions included in the fifth generation roads program.

Tertiary roads

Colombia plans to invest 7.5bn pesos in 30 tertiary roads in Cundinamarca as part of the program called Community Roads for Total Peace, roads authority Invías reported.

The program seeks to improve connectivity in rural areas. 

According to Invías, the program has been assigned a budget of 635bn pesos for 2024.

Last year 1,035 agreements were signed for improvements to rural roads in 526 municipalities under the program.

Currently there are more than 800 agreements underway in departments such as Boyacá, Caldas, Antioquia, Valle del Cauca and Quindío.