Route 68: MOP receives two offers to be awarded a new concession for US$1.6 billion

Press release from the Ministry of Public Works of Chile

This is an automated translation of the press release issued in Spanish

Two offers were received during this day for the Second Concession of Route 68, which considers an approximate investment of US$1.6 billion to modernize and expand the highway that connects the Valparaíso and Metropolitan regions.

The applicant companies were Grupo Costanera and Sacyr , whose financial offers will be opened on November 12. It is expected that the project will be awarded during the first quarter of 2025.

The development of the new works on this 141km long route will allow the addition of a new two-lane road, leaving one of them reversible depending on the flow. Two new tunnels will also be built in Lo Prado and Zapata 3, each with two lanes, which will allow each of the three roads to have its own tunnels. The works should begin in the second quarter of 2029 and come into operation in the fourth quarter of 2033. It should be noted that the project must have an environmental assessment.

The Minister of Public Works , Jessica López, highlighted that “we are facing one of the largest tenders that we have developed as a ministry in history and, in this framework, receiving two offers for this project that will radically improve connectivity between the Metropolitan Region and the Valparaíso Region, is a demonstration of the solidity that we have as a country, the seriousness of our institutions and the attractiveness of investing in large public infrastructure projects in Chile. This initiative will have an investment of more than 1.6 billion dollars and focuses on improving the surroundings of the communes in which it will be located, in order to develop a comprehensive project that addresses the need for connectivity and that of improving the quality of life of the inhabitants of its surroundings.”

For his part, the General Director of Concessions , Juan Manuel Sánchez, said that “this reception of offers is especially relevant, since it is a project that has been in development for years since it was called for tender during the previous administration. The Second Concession of Route 68 is of great magnitude in terms of works and investment, since we are talking about the project with the largest historical amount to date.”

"This is a project that will benefit more than 129,558 vehicles that travel on this route every day and that not only includes an increase in lanes and new tunnels, but also, within the framework of the Good Neighbor Program, includes important contributions to the urban environment, such as green areas, urban walkways and cycle paths in the Pudahuel sector," added the authority.

The new concession extends from the Pajaritos Junction, in the municipalities of Estación Central and Lo Prado, to Valparaíso, and includes Route 68 and secondary routes: Route 60-CH Vía Las Palmas (9.95 km), Route 60-CH Troncal Sur (20.55 km) and part of the project called “Nudo Pajaritos” (1.22 km). Thus, the project involves the municipalities of Estación Central, Lo Prado, Pudahuel, Curacaví, Casablanca, Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Quilpué and Villa Alemana.

In terms of employability, it is estimated, considering the investment, that the project would generate around 3,950 jobs per month during the construction phase.

Description of the work

This second concession considers the improvement, construction, maintenance and operation of the pre-existing works, as well as the new works. This is to allow for improved safety conditions for both users and residents living along the route.

In the section between Av. Pajaritos and the current Lo Prado Toll, the project includes the construction of the Pajaritos Junction and will be extended to third and fourth lanes. Particularly noteworthy is the implementation of urban plazas with green areas at the Las Torres, La Estrella and Serrano junctions, and the Teniente Cruz Crossing, in the Pudahuel commune. The bridges over the Mapocho River and the Lampa estuary will also be replaced.

In addition, within the framework of the concession, a park of approximately 23,000 ^m2 will be built with a wetland interpretation centre of approximately 250 ^m2 in the El Noviciado sector.

In the section between the current Lo Prado Toll and the La Pólvora interchange (Placilla - Camino La Pólvora), a new two-lane road will be developed, so that the route will have three two-lane roadways, with the central roadway operating in a reversible manner, according to the registered flows. Thus, the highway will permanently have one direction of traffic operating with 4 lanes and the other direction operating with 2 lanes, depending on the traffic level.

Two new tunnels will also be built: Lo Prado 3 and Zapata 3, each with two lanes, which will allow each of the three roadways to have its own tunnels. Finally, in the area of the La Pólvora and Valparaíso – Viña del Mar interchange, the project includes improving the Rodelillo interchange by adding an incorporation lane to the Las Palmas Highway; improving the service road for access to the Valparaíso Norway interchange and the interchange itself, which will improve connectivity to the Eduardo Pereira hospital; and slope retention works on the Bajada Santos Ossa. In addition, on the Las Palmas Highway, the project includes the execution of road safety projects.

The project also contemplates that the Route 68 trunk line will migrate from the current toll collection system at the various toll plazas to a 100% Free Flow collection system, with gantries along the route, meaning there will no longer be lateral tolls on Route 68. The collection system will be maintained on the Southern Trunk Line.

Furthermore, considering the impact of climate change, this project establishes a mandatory procedure for the concessionaire to quantify and report the Carbon Footprint generated by all activities during the construction and operation phase. This information must be analyzed in order to implement a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.