Talcahuano-Penco tollroad due to be ready Oct. 2005

Construction of the US$24.6mn Interportuaria tollroad in Chile's Region VIII is due to wrap up by October, according to information from the public works ministry's concessions department. The project will connect port city Talcahuano and the town of Penco, and entails 14km of new roads. Construction began in January and the project is about 50% complete. The ministry awarded the 31.5-year concession to Consorcio Autopista Interportuaria, made up of local companies Besalco, ByA Ingenieros and Genera Inversiones, in January 2002. Interportuaria will help ease traffic congestion in Talcahuano and neighboring regional capital Concepción, while helping improve access to the Talcahuano-San Vicente port area, as well as nearby Lirquén port and the area's Carriel Sur airport. The road will also help prepare the area for a planned logistics platform in the region.