Work Detail |
The national government will begin the bidding process for the concession of road corridors, seeking to reduce public spending and maintain fiscal balance. The plan focuses on the concession of strategic routes for Mercosur trade, starting with routes 12 and 14, which cross Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Santa Fe and Corrientes. The current concession for these routes is in the hands of Caminos del Río Uruguay (CRUSA), whose contract expires soon.
The bidding process for routes 12 and 14 seeks a new concessionaire. CRUSA is demanding about 300 million dollars from the State for breach of contract and late payment of tariffs, proposing an extension of the contract in exchange for withdrawing the lawsuit. The existence of other offers is mentioned, including a consortium of three construction companies that plans an investment of close to 600 million dollars. Among the conditions for the new concessionaire is the possibility of an increase in the Zárate toll of approximately 140%.
In addition to Routes 12 and 14, the concession of more than 8,000 kilometers of routes is planned, including National Route 33 in Santa Fe, Route 18 in Entre Ríos and Route 19 in Córdoba. This measure seeks to reactivate the construction sector, which has been affected by the reduction in public works. Construction companies are expected to actively participate in the tenders, seeking to recover business opportunities through the management of tolls.
The tenders will require bidders to make specific improvements to the routes, including the repair of potholes, shoulders, horizontal and vertical signage, and lighting. Access to the new toll rates will be conditional on compliance with these improvements. This measure seeks to ensure that the routes under concession are in optimal conditions for users.
In summary, the government will put out to tender the concession of routes 12 and 14, looking for a new concessionaire to invest in improvements and manage toll collection. In addition, more than 8,000 kilometers of other national routes will be put out to tender, including 33, 18 and 19. Savings for the State of more than 5 billion dollars are expected over 20 years. |