Ministry, municipalities ink Estoril junction agreement

Chile's public works ministry and the municipalities of Las Condes and Vitacura inked an agreement Monday to push forward the construction of a highway junction aimed at easing traffic bottlenecks in Santiago's affluent northeastern zone, the ministry announced. The junction, known as Nudo Estoril, will cost 11.6bn pesos (US$17.6mn) and entails "sinking" 1.25km of Kennedy Avenue, a key thoroughfare in the area, under the cross-streets of Estoril and Tabancura, as well as 1bn pesos-worth of rain collectors. Highway concessionaire Costanera Norte, which is building an expressway in the area, will put up 3.08bn pesos as outlined in its contract, while the ministry will provide 3.44bn pesos and the municipalities the remainder. Construction is slated to begin in January and wrap up by end-2004.