President Lacalle Pou presented this Monday, the 12th, a 1,800-meter viaduct, with two main access ramps and a 160-meter-long arch bridge, added to annexed works in the entrance area to the port of Montevideo. Minister Falero considered that the work, with an investment of 156 million dollars, conforms a national policy and is an example that the country respects legal certainty and contracts.
In addition to the President of the Republic, Luis Lacalle Pou, and the head of the Transport and Public Works portfolio, José Luis Falero, the pro-secretary of the Presidency, Rodrigo Ferrés; the Ministers of Economy and Finance, Azucena Arbeleche; Industry, Energy and Mining, Omar Paganini; Public Health, Daniel Salinas; Interior, Luis Alberto Heber; National Defense, Javier Garcia; Tourism, Tabaré Viera, and Labor and Social Security, Pablo Mieres; the mayor of Montevideo, Carolina Cosse, and authorities from the National Ports Administration (ANP) and the Saccem company.
In his oratory, Falero maintained that the work is a milestone for the country, and, in particular, for Montevideans. Likewise, he pointed out that it represents the distinctive national policy of Uruguay, since it began in one period of government and ended in another.
“This work was analyzed at the beginning of the administration, due to the economic difficulty, and, nevertheless, the economic team got up to speed and made it possible for it to happen,” emphasized the Secretary of State.
The new viaduct, in the Rambla Sud América, required the work of 500 people. About the importance, Falero indicated that it will allow speeding up road mobility, since there are no crossings in that 1,800-meter section. He also highlighted that interference in the circulation of trucks entering the port has been eliminated, for which a single access is maintained in the northern zone and the port area will be expanded.
The project included the construction of three lanes in each direction, with the aim of reducing transfer times and increasing traffic capacity at this point, as well as lighting the entire section. From now on, light vehicles will cross the viaduct and trucks will enter the port, without difficulty, underneath, just like the old railway line.
The final investment of the Uruguayan State reached 156 million dollars, the financing of the project was in charge of the ANP and the Fonplata subregional development bank.
The works began in June 2019, and the current administration endorsed their continuity and even decided to expand them, with the incorporation of reforms within the port, to modernize it and consolidate it as a logistics operations center in the region.
In the formal ceremony, a miniature of the work was delivered to President Lacalle Pou and Minister Falero. In addition, an illustrative video of the construction process was projected. Lastly, a light show was put on over the arch of the bridge.
