Chile launches US$500 million highway concession

The Orbital Sur project includes a new 24km-long highway, which will cross the municipal districts of Peñaflor, Calera de Tango and San Bernardo, forming a second metropolitan ring road.

Chile’s Public Works Ministry has launched a 12 million UF (around US$500 million) tender to build a new 24km-long highway, which will cross the municipal districts of Peñaflor, Calera de Tango and San Bernardo, forming a second metropolitan ring road.

The project, named Orbital Sur, is part of the National Infrastructure for Mobility Plan 2020-2050. The new highway will include five connections with existing main roads, which will help to improve connectivity: Route 78; South Connection with Peñaflor; Connection with Lonquén; Route 5; and South Access. It will also include a new connection in the Los Morros Sector of San Bernardo.

The tender process opened on March 4; the deadline for the reception of technical bids is July 29, and the economic bids will be opened on August 26. The tender is due to be awarded by the end of the year, which will allow construction to begin in 2025. The project is projected to generate around 12,000 jobs.

Orbital Sur is expected to come into operation by 2028 and the concession grants a maximum period of 432 months (36 years). This new infrastructure is expected to reduce travel times by up to 30 minutes in the southern sector of the Metropolitan Region.

Interested firms can obtain the tender terms and conditions from the Ministry’s offices (details here). Find out more about the process here.

To learn more about foreign investment in Chile, check out the following article.