Santiago hwy. concessionaires award toll contracts

Vespucio Norte Express and Autopista Central, who are building expressways in Chilean capital Santiago, announced the awarding of contracts to install electronic toll systems in separate statements to the country's securities regulator, the SVS. Vespucio Norte Express, which picked up a US$250mn, 30-year contract in 2002 to build the northern portion of Santiago's Americo Vespucio beltway, awarded its electronic toll system contract to Swedish company Kapsch TrafficCom AB. The contract is worth 12.5mn euros (US$15mn). Construction of the northern portion began earlier this year. Some 40,000 vehicles/day are expected to use the stretch that will run between El Salto in the capital's northeast and the junction with highway Ruta 78 in the city's southwest. The works are part of the first of six stretches, with the entire highway due to be ready end-2006. Dragados, Hochtief, Brotec, Belfi and Taurus make up Vespucio Norte Expresss. AUTOPISTA CENTRAL Meanwhile, Autopista Central, which picked up a US$455mn, 30-year concession in 2000 to operate 61km of roadways, awarded the electronic toll system to Sociedad Constructora Norte Sur. No contract price was given. The roadways are on the 40km Norte-Sur and 21km General Velasquez that are slated to be completed in 2005. Dragados, Skanska, Belfi and Brotec make up the concessionaire. Vespucio Norte Sur and Autopista Central are part of a total of four free-flow expressways under construction in the capital.