The Province proposes to maintain 400 kilometers of national routes

Statement from the Government of the Province of Neuquén

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

The Minister of Infrastructure , Rubén Etcheverry, presented a proposal for an agreement to the administrator of the National Directorate of Roads ( DVN ), Marcelo Campoy, so that the national agency transfers the maintenance tasks of various sections of national routes 22, 40, 237, 242 and 231, in the Province of Neuquén.

The 397 kilometres of roads will be financed by the Toll Contribution Fund.

The note presented by the minister, maintains that these sections of the routes are of "main interest to the province taking into account that National Route 22 is the central axis of road communication in the province in an east-west direction and then north-south of National Route 40 and that national routes 231 and 242 connect the province with the Republic of Chile through the main international passes, Cardenal Samoré and Pino Hachado respectively."

The action was the continuation of a note presented by the governors of Neuquén, Rolando Figueroa, and Río Negro, Alberto Weretilenk, who in April recognized that “the poor condition of these routes and the total abandonment of the works by the National State”, but at the same time, they showed themselves “willing to take on the challenge of seeking a solution in a creative and consensual manner”.

“The development of Vaca Muerta and the possibility of generating wealth and well-being for our people depends on the State being able to adequately fulfill its organizing and promoting function. And in this sense, Routes 22 and 151 are a strategic priority of the first order,” they confirmed at the time.

According to the minister, the proposal does not differ from the Transfer of Operational Functions (TFO) contracts that the Provincial Roads Directorate has historically maintained with the National Roads Department, mainly on National Route 242, with winter maintenance, and the section of National Route 40, from Buta Ranquil to Las Lajas.

In this regard, they explained that the difference with the current proposal “is related to the origin of the funds to carry out these tasks, transforming the historical certification and payment methodology that has been used into an authorization to collect a Toll Contribution on the aforementioned sections of national routes. In accordance with Provincial Law 3439, which provides for this and the use of these funds for the necessary maintenance tasks.”

On the other hand, the Neuquén government requested "the proportional allocation of funds from the fuel tax destined to the Road Fund administered by the DNV in order to contribute to the maintenance costs of said routes."

He clarifies that "we intend to move forward with the signing of the necessary rules and agreements in order to perfect the transfer process, and once the legal, technical and system instruments necessary to complete the collection of the Toll Contribution are approved and enabled, proceed with the transfer of the maintenance tasks of the national routes."