A new plan for improving Ecuador’s road network has been set out by the Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MTOP). At present the state road network stretches for a total of 10,132km but responsibility for maintaining 1,644km of these roads has now been handed over from MOTP to several Prefectures or to a number of private firms. These Prefectures now handling their own road maintenance works include Guayas, Manabi, Pichincha and Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas.
MOTP has set a budget of US$100.3 million for road maintenance works but this has been criticised for being inadequate. A loan of $192 million from the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) will also be used to improve seven key road corridors measuring a total of 1,190km that MOTP has retained responsibility for. The tender process for road improvement works to 400km of roads will be awarded by MOTP during 2019.
