New contracts awarded for Toyo Tunnel project
6 April 2021Good progress is being marked on Colombia’s Toyo Tunnel project following the award by the country’s national highway institute Invias of two contracts worth a combined US$222m.
The first contract (Module 1, US$115m) awarded to Constructions El Condor comprises a 10km access road (linking the 9.8km main tunnel to the Autopista al Mar 1 highway) and four additional tunnels.
The second contract (Module 2, US$107m) was awarded to the Vias Colombia 061 consortium and comprises six tunnels, 13 bridges and nine kilometres of access roads. Work on both the contracts is expected to begin in May or June 2021. Meanwhile work on the main tunnel is around 50% complete and local officials say it is expected to open in 2022.
Located around 120km from the city of Medellín in the province of Antioquia, the Toyo Tunnel project has a total investment value of around US$385m which includes the 10km main tunnel, access roads, and other tunnels and bridges needed for the project.
The project is being built through a very mountainous area comprising mainly limestone and volcanic rocks, volcanic mud and siltstone. NATM is being used for both the main and shorter tunnels. The works aim to substantially improve the connection between Medellín and the Urabá region, cutting journey times from six hours to around three and a half.
