Further delays are now impacting on completion of Colombia’s Toyo Tunnel project, which is known officially as the Guillermo Gaviria Echeverri Tunnel. The 9.8km tunnel will be the longest in Latin America once complete. This is also amongst the largest infrastructure projects in Colombia’s Antioquia Department.
However, more delays to the project have arisen from questions over electromechanical equipment for the link. While section 1 is complete and section 2 is 74% complete, there are questions over the functionality of the electromechanical systems supposed to provide ventilation and lighting.
The dispute is between Colombia’s National Roads Institute (Invías) and the local authorities over the installation of the necessary electro-mechanical equipment.
Once the new road, bridge and tunnel connection is finally complete, it will provide a significant transport boost for Antioquia. The tunnel is the centrepiece of a new link running between Canasgordas and Giraldo in Antioquia, which will improve transport connections between Medellin and Uraba.
The highway project for which the Toyo Tunnel forms a key stretch is split into two main sections. The first section includes 17 bridges, seven tunnels and 4.4km of road. The second section measures 19.4km with 11 tunnels and 13 bridges.
The history of the project has not been without its complexities that have extended the completion deadline from the 2024 date planned for initially. And the cost has risen steadily since construction work commenced in early 2018. When work started, the project was expected to cost $483 million but by the end of 2018 the pricetag had already risen to $588 million. By 2019 it was expected to cost $824 million due to unexpected technical challenges posed by the difficult geological conditions.
