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The government is preparing to put out to tender the concession of Road Corridor 18, a key route for Mercosur trade that crosses the provinces of Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Santa Fe and Corrientes. This corridor, made up of Routes 12 and 14 and the Rosario-Victoria Bridge, is 675 kilometers long and is essential for trade with Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The tender is part of a broader plan to grant concessions to private companies for more than 9,000 kilometers of national routes.
The current concession for Corridor 18 has been held by Caminos del Río Uruguay SA (CRUSA) since 1990 and its contract expires on April 9, 2025. According to CRUSA, the current poor condition of the roads is due to a delay in toll rates that prevents proper maintenance. The Argentine Confederation of Medium-sized Enterprises (CAME) has also called for urgent repairs on these roads, highlighting their importance for regional logistics and trade, and warning about the increase in road accidents.
The new concession system, called the Federal Concession Network (RFC), seeks to improve efficiency in the management of routes. A key aspect is that the concessionaire companies will not pay fees to the State nor receive subsidies, being financed exclusively by toll collection. The company that offers the lowest rate to the user will be chosen, and the current rates will be maintained until optimal transit conditions are guaranteed: zero potholes, shoulder chocks, signage and lighting.
To improve load control and prevent deterioration of the pavement due to excess weight, dynamic weight controls will be incorporated and static control systems will be updated. In addition, dynamic payment systems such as TelePASE and “free-flow” (without stopping) will be implemented to speed up traffic. Vialidad Nacional will carry out measurements of the condition of the roads and will control the compliance of the concessionaires with the results. Toll rates will have a maximum value and will be updated quarterly according to INDEC indexes.
In short, the government will put out to tender the concession of Highway Corridor 18 to improve its condition and the efficiency of its management. The new concession system will be financed with tolls, seeking competitive rates and guaranteeing the good condition of the roads. Technological improvements will be incorporated for load control and toll payment. The news mentions CRUSA (current concessionaire) and a consortium formed by Luis Losi, Rovella Carranza and JCR that presented a private initiative to obtain the concession, but does not detail other companies that have submitted offers. |
