Colombia to hike road tolls three times this year

Colombia began 2025 with a 2.78% increase in highway tolls, the first of three this year.

The transport ministry confirmed for BNamericas that there will be another increase on January 16, which will be in line with the 2024 inflation rate to be published by statistics office Dane.

The last hike of the year, of 1.86%, will apply from April 1.

The increases are part of a plan to normalize rates after Gustavo Petro's government decreed a freeze on 147 tolls in 2023 to mitigate the effect of inflation.

In July 2023, the attorney general's office said that with the freeze, many transport infrastructure projects could be put at risk, generating uncertainty in the financial markets regarding the sustainability of 4G and 5G road projects.

According to the office, the decision to freeze tolls generated a deficit of 900bn pesos (US$203mn) in the amount collected in 2023.

Toll collection is a pillar for Colombia's major infrastructure projects, which last year closed with around 90% progress in the 4G infrastructure program, which includes 5,052km of roads under concession.

According to infrastructure agency ANI, of the 30 projects in the 4G portfolio, 15 are in operation, 12 are under construction, two are in pre-construction and one is subject to early termination.

The 4G projects that are in operation include the northern connection road, Neiva-Espinal-Girardot, Pamplona-Cúcuta, Pacific Connection 3, Sisga Transversal, GICA (Girardot-Ibagué-Cajamarca) and Cambao-Manizales.

In the first months of this year, the Autopista al Mar 2 and Autopista al Río Magdalena 2 projects are expected to start operating, with progress currently at 98.96% and 93.12%, respectively.