Advances in Highway Infrastructure Works in the Country.

The National Infrastructure Agency (ANI) notes that today's date have been financially closed 12 projects calls 4G concessions. As reported the country's newspapers, these concessions are 33 highways dual carriageway, built and financed by the private sector but will be paid by the State at the end of the completion of works with resources "future funds" National Budget . Of the 33 projects they have been awarded, of which 22 public initiative, nine private initiative; and two are in the hiring process.

Resources to finance projects 4G, certified to the ANI, have been backed by leading Colombian banks (47.7%), by debt capital funds set up in Colombia (5%) and foreign banks specializing in financing infrastructure projects in Colombia (47.01%). Also of note is the contribution of National Development Finance (FDN) and pension funds through specialized debt funds to finance infrastructure. The first wave of 4G pathways, with which investments close to $ 12 billion, expected seven tracks are currently in the construction phase.This is the Pacific Connections 1 (Concessionaire Road Pacific), with an investment of $ 1.84 billion, Pacific 2 (Grant La Pintada) with $ 925,641 million and Pacific 3 (Concession Pacific Three), for $ 1.32 billion, according to information ANI. Also under construction they are the Cartagena-Barranquilla road, which has an investment of $ 1 billion and was awarded the Coast Concession Cartagena - Barranquilla. North Highway Connection Remedios Zaragoza, awarded to Autopistas del Nordeste, for $ 1.3 billion and the Cross River Gold-Aguaclara-Gamarra, which was awarded to the Concessionaire Ruta del Sol. In connection with the Second Wave, which will involve approximately 1,827 kilometers of roads, with an investment of $ 12 billion, the nine projects that compose it are in pre-construction stage. In the Third Wave an investment of $ 11 billion is expected and was awarded the project Bucaramanga - Pamplona. Apart from concessions 4G, other roadwork already completed and to be given the service later this month, are the renovations dual carriageway sections that were needed in the way of Bogotá - Villavicencio and Bogota - Villeta . The first with long tunnels and both with vehicle and pedestrian bridges. The works on the road to Villavicencio are 15.5 kilometers between the variant and Guayabetal Puente Quetame (Sector El Naranjal) of Cundinamarca with 10 bridges a vial complex and four tunnels. One of them, 4.3 kilometers long, is the country's first built with two floors; ie, under it there is another tunnel coextensive for emergency evacuation. The second work is on the road from Bogota to Villeta, where the last 20 kilometers of dual carriageway that it took the 81.6 km route has performed. This new road will serve the community with the new 80th street bridge three lanes, which will help ease traffic congestion by this escape rout northwest of Bogota. It was also recently reported by the ANI, which for the construction of a third lane in each direction on the highway Bogota - Girardot which is already dual carriageway, was made the corresponding award. This project will be Colombia's first six-lane highway. The development of the expansion works of the Bogota-Girardot was proposed by companies Conalvías group, however four consortiums filed against proposals, so that, given the legal terms ANI awarded the project to which submitted the best offer . This project will be implemented with an investment of $1.71 billion , resources that are borne by the consortium Plural Structure routes to Girardot under the APP modality of private initiative in which the nation will not have to invest resources. Of these private initiatives currently it is under construction and award 22 other road projects which are uncommitted resources of the nation.

In addition, it is necessary highlight the work of tourism promotion that is being done in the project awarded pathways 4G called the Eastern perimeter of Bogota, where through a connection dual carriageway are to intercommunicate the municipalities of Sesquilé, Guatavita, guasca, Sopo, La Calera, Choachí, Ubaque and Cáqueza in the east of the capital. The launch event of Route Program and Destiny, which was held in the municipality of Choachí (Cundinamarca), was attended by the mayors of Guatavita, Choachí and Ubaque, along with delegates from other municipalities concerned are in being part of program to promote tourism in different facets of their regions. As for the economic effects (as mentioned public and private research organizations) of road infrastructure works carried out in the country, it is noted that the 4G highways to today's date are at the stage of building 7 of the 33 that will be in the coming years, will have a multiplier effect of an additional 1.5% of GDP (gross domestic product) of Colombia during the five to seven years of construction mainly since 2018 of full implementation of the works . In addition, potential GDP growth would rise from 4% to 5% in the long term and the unemployment rate will be reduced by 1% or 1.5%. Finally, private investment in infrastructure will be doubled and between 2014 and 2018, will increase from $ 4.8 billion to $ 10 billion. The construction sector particularly in roadworks, is one of the main drivers of GDP in addition to other sectors such as trade restaurants and hotels; industry and real estate and financial services from this year and especially in the next five years.