en.Wedoany.com Reported - Colombia held the formal contract signing ceremony for the El Estanquillo-Popayán Highway PPP project on May 13, 2026, with President Gustavo Petro in attendance. The project involves a road investment of 8.82 trillion pesos (US$2.3 billion), strengthening connectivity in the country's southwest through a strategic corridor in the Cauca Department.
The investment composition includes US$1.6 billion in capital expenditure and US$667 million in operational expenditure. The awarded project encompasses the construction and operation of 62.3 kilometers of dual carriageway, 26 kilometers of second carriageway, 14 tunnels, 125 bridges, and 9 interchanges between El Estanquillo and Popayán. The sole bidder—the winning consortium—is composed of ERG Compañía de Infraestructura y Desarrollo SAS (90%) and MIA Grupo Empresarial SAS (10%).
With the signing of the commencement certificate, the contract becomes irrevocable, triggering the execution of future appropriations for the period from June 30, 2029, to June 30, 2045, locking the national commitment into a timeline of up to 20 years. The pre-construction period for this highway project is expected to be 2 years, with a construction period of 4.5 years, an operation and maintenance period of 18 years, and a contract handover and termination period of 6 months.
During the ceremony, President Gustavo Petro spoke about a second phase planned for extension towards the Nariño Department and South America, but this expansion requires studies, financing, and a new bidding process, with the decision-making authority to be transferred to the next administration taking office in August. Within the first six months, priority interventions are planned for the existing corridor connecting Popayán, Timbío, Rosas, El Bordo, and El Estanquillo. The highway project also includes the acquisition of over 600 rural and peri-urban properties and geotechnical interventions at 65 critical points.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
