With the growth of the Colombian economy and the emphasis that the government has placed on the development of infrastructure, 2020 presents itself as a year full of major construction projects that will further boost the economy and also generate a favorable scenario for the growth of other sectors.

One of the most important projects, that has raised high expectations in the country is the Fourth Generation of Road Concession, better known as 4G roads. At the beginning of this year, the Colombian Ministry of Transportation indicated that 22 out of 29 projects are in execution phase, which shows an important progress towards reaching the expected performance. This point is particularly important, given the emphasis that the national government has placed on it, as shown by the fact that they included the delivery of 533 kilometers of 4G roads in the National Development Plan, a document that serves as the basis for the creation of public policy in the country. Another element that should be highlighted about the expansion and improvement of the Colombian road network is that the authorities are planning to go one step beyond the development of the 4G infrastructure, by constructing a fifth generation highway that would connect the cities of Bogotá and Medellín, the two most populated urban centers in the country, which in turn are important economic scenarios.

A second promising project for this year is the construction of the Bogotá Metro, an initiative that has been projected for many years and is currently materializing. In this regard it is highlighted that one of its main advances was the adjudication of the contract to build it, which took place last October. While it is true that the bulk of the construction phase of the project is scheduled to begin in 2021, this year will be key to its execution since the contracted firm must achieve the financial closure of the project, its detailed design and possibly start of work in the yard-workshop.

Another group of projects whose execution is of great importance for the country is the Intermodal Transportation Master Plan or “Plan Maestro de Transporte Intermodal” (PMTI), which consists of a series of civil construction initiatives designed to promote multiple means of transport, such as seaports, railways and airports. This program was launched in 2015 and is intended to guide Colombian policy regarding this matter until 2035, with the construction of more than 200 projects. Important progress is expected to happen in 2020, such as the start of operations of the freight train that connects the port of Buenaventura and the city of Yumbo, which is expected to contribute significantly to lowering the costs of transporting merchandise in the Pacific Region of the country. Likewise, throughout 2020 progress is expected in projects such as the railroad corridor between La Dorada and Chiriguaná, whose legal and financial structuring was adjudicated at the beginning of this year, and the structuring of the public bidding for the construction of the “Canal del Dique”, which It is expected to start at the end of the year.

Taking all of the above into account, it is clear that the outlook for infrastructure in Colombia is promising for future years, due to the existence of robust long-term plans. As a result, companies that produce steel have made investments that exceed US$620 million in research and development, with the objective of meeting the projected demands generated by the growth of this sector of the economy. It is expected that many other areas of the economy will benefit, directly or indirectly, due to the significant investments that are occurring in infrastructure.

Srs Colombia, is a crucial partner of companies that are contributing to the growth and improvement of our country’s road infrastructure, providing immigration and relocation services for their employees and families.

Referencias:

Betín, T. (2020, February 21). Licitación del Canal del Dique iniciará a finales de 2020: vicepresidenta. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://www.elheraldo.co/colombia/licitacion-del-canal-del-dique-iniciara-finales-de-2020-vicepresidenta-703341

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El Nuevo Siglo. (2019, December 31). https://www.elnuevosiglo.com.co/articulos/12-2019-infraestructura-continua-siendo-una-gran-apuesta-para-el-2020. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://www.elnuevosiglo.com.co/articulos/12-2019-infraestructura-continua-siendo-una-gran-apuesta-para-el-2020

La República. (2020, February 3). Gobierno avanza en la estructuración del corredor férreo entre La Dorada y Chiriguaná. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://www.larepublica.co/economia/gobierno-avanza-en-la-estructuracion-del-corredor-ferreo-entre-la-dorada-y-chiriguana-2960149

Mundo Marítimo. (2020, January 22). Colombia: Tren de carga entre Yumbo y puerto de Buenaventura iniciaría operaciones en febrero de 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://www.mundomaritimo.cl/noticias/colombia-tren-de-carga-entre-yumbo-y-puerto-de-buenaventura-iniciaria-operaciones-en-febrero-de-2020

Ospina, M. J. (2019, December 7). Retos 2020 en infraestructura. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://www.larepublica.co/analisis/maria-juliana-ospina-2941813/retos-2020-en-infraestructura-2941809

Peña, M. (2019, May 27). Las ocho carreteras que espera entregar Iván Duque en su gobierno. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://www.bluradio.com/nacion/las-ocho-carreteras-que-espera-entregar-ivan-duque-en-su-gobierno-215643-ie5826373

Portafolio. (2020, February 25). De las 29 vías 4G contratadas, 22 están en ejecución. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://www.portafolio.co/economia/infraestructura/de-las-29-vias-4g-contratadas-22-estan-en-ejecucion-538440

Silva, G. (2020, January 9). Las oportunidades en infraestructura para 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://www.elespectador.com/economia/las-oportunidades-en-infraestructura-para-2020-articulo-899051