On June 1, three new sections of Colombia’s Ruta del Cacao were opened. This new milestone added 25 kilometers of new highway with the completion of sections 5, 6, and 7. Following this milestone, the project hit 90.3% completion.
The opening ceremony for these sections was held on Wednesday, June 1, at 3 p.m. (local time). The President of the Republic of Colombia, Iván Duque Márquez, the Minister of Transport, Angela María Orozco, and the President of the National Infrastructure Agency, Manuel Felipe Gutiérrez, were all in attendance, as were different positions of responsibility from the concessionaire of the BBY project and representatives of the Government of Santander, the region where the project is being carried out.
The infrastructure includes two tunnels: the La Paz Tunnel, measuring 3.2 kilometers, and the La Sorda Tunnel at 2.2 kilometers joined by the Río Sucio Viaduct, measuring 660 meters. This viaduct was built using a system of successive overhangs that connect both tunnels. The five viaducts in this section total 1.2 kilometers in all.
The Ruta del Cacao connects the towns of Bucaramanga and Barrancabermeja in the department of Santander and Yondó, which is located in Antioquia, across its 152 kilometers. This structure is improving mobility and safety for drivers, and the project is generating and strengthening the creation of new businesses, as well as driving the local economy by boosting ground transportation.
This project is offering an economic revival for companies, and it means progress for the area’s residents due to its direct impact on their quality of life.
“This new project means significant relief and an alternative to the traffic in the area. The improvement of connections with the most important oil production centers in Colombia will promote economic and labor growth, benefiting all its users”
Construction of these three sections generated 3,700 direct and indirect jobs, 70% of which were carried out in the communities around the corridor.
With the completion of these works, more than 500,000 people are benefiting in the municipalities of Santander, Girón, Betulia, San Vicente de Chucurí, Lebrija, and Barrancabermeja.
The 25 kilometers of roadway opened are: section 5, which connects the La Paz bridge with the Santa Rosa sector; section 6, which includes the La Paz Tunnel; and section 7, located between the Rio Sucio and Lisboa sectors.
We want to congratulate the whole team that has made this great milestone possible.
