The national government approved an investment of $15.04 billion for the execution of the “Vías para la Paz” program, that seeks to improve, build and maintain strategic road corridors throughout the country. The decision was made official in document CONPES 4161, which declares the projects included in the initiative led by the National Planning Department (DNP) of strategic importance.
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According to the director of the DNP, Natalia Irene Molina Posso, the objective of the program is “improve transportation infrastructure in strategic national and regional corridors, with the purpose of increasing connectivity, competitiveness and socioeconomic development of the regions, contributing to the consolidation of peace and closing gaps.”
The document defines a roadmap that will be executed between 2026 and 2035, in coordination with the National Highway Institute (Invías) and in line with the National Development Plan 2022-2026 “Colombia, World Power for Life.”
The investment is aimed at 20 projects in areas such as the Pacific, Catatumbo, La Guajira, La Mojana, Antioquia, Arauca, Cundinamarca, Huila and Putumayo. With them, the Government seeks to strengthen national connectivity, improve rural mobility and facilitate access to services and markets, especially in regions with historical infrastructure lags.
Twenty strategic projects between 2026 and 2035
Of the 20 projects contemplated, eight correspond to national roads and twelve to regional roads. The national corridors include the Quibdó–Medellín and Quibdó–Pereira routes, which will link the Pacific with the center of the country, reducing travel times and enhancing competitiveness. There is also the Pasto–Estanquillo section, which will improve the integration of Nariño with the southwest and strengthen trade with Ecuador and Peru.
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Some of Colombia’s routes are known for their danger.
Source: IStock
The San Francisco–Mocoa corridor seeks to guarantee the connectivity of the Amazon and the south of the country, while the Necoclí–Arboletes–Puerto Rey highway will boost tourism and trade to the Caribbean. The La Lejía–Saravena connection will strengthen communication between Orinoquía, Santanderes and the eastern border, and the Candelaria–Laberinto section will facilitate the integration of Huila with southern Colombia. The program also includes the rehabilitation and construction of national bridges to ensure the continuity of transportation.
In the regional component, the 12 projects cover interventions in maintenance, rehabilitation and construction of roads and bridges. Among them are the Vía al Mar del Cauca and the Samaniego–La Llanada–Sotomayor section (Los Andes), which will improve rural connectivity in the southwest. The Bridge over the Putumayo River, within the Puerto Asís–Teteyé corridor, will strengthen the integration of border areas and benefit local communities.
In Cundinamarca, the Guavio roads will optimize access to productive areas in the center of the country. The Arauquita-Saravena road will consolidate the infrastructure of the plain foothills, while the Transversal del Catatumbo (Convención-Tibú-El Tarra and Convention-La Mata) will favor a priority region for peace.
Other projects, such as the Rice Route (San Marcos–Ayapel) and the Mompox–Pinillos section, aim to boost agricultural productivity in La Mojana. In Antioquia and Córdoba, the El Aro and Santa Lucía–Moñitos–Puerto Escondido roads will be intervened, fundamental for access to the Caribbean. Finally, the road corridors for the Wayúu people in La Guajira, developed in compliance with Ruling T-302 of 2017, will improve access to water, health and food for indigenous communities.
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Colombian roads.
Employment, efficiency and resilience in the territories
The Pathways for Peace program foresees the generation of more than 39 thousand direct jobs and 262 thousand indirect jobs, contributing to boosting local economies. According to the DNP, the works will reduce vehicle operation costs by more than $2.5 billion annually and reduce 18.7 million travel hours each year, generating savings for transporters and users.
The interventions also seek to guarantee the resilience of the infrastructure, with designs that reduce vulnerability to landslides, floods and structural failures. This ensures continuity in the operation of the corridors and the commissioning of safer and more efficient roads.
Several of the works included in the program respond to commitments acquired in the Territorial Pacts signed by the Government of President Gustavo Petro together with communities and local authorities. These agreements reflect the intention to prioritize projects agreed directly in the territories, addressing the needs raised by the populations and strengthening regional integration.
PAULA GALEANO BALAGUERA
Portfolio Journalist
