Congress has approved an international loan to rehabilitate and extend 108 kms of the route from Escuintla to Ciudad Pedro Alvarado.
The funds will be used to finance the implementation of the rehabilitation of the two existing lanes and the construction of two more lanes on the CA-2 East Highway.
The project is to improve the existing two lanes, and expand them by adding two additional lanes on Highway CA-2 East, which involves the construction of three traffic distributors and expansion of 25 bridges along the route from Escuintla to Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado, located in Jutiapa, a department on the border with El Salvador.
The Government has announced that will negotiate international loans for $920 million for road construction.
The Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (CIV) said it would be looking to obtain credit with international banks in order to expand three stretches of highway which go towards border crossings. Alejandro Sinibaldi, head of the CIV, confirmed that the three loans could materialize next year.
Companies interested in the tender to build the bypass of Chimaltenango now have until December 20 to submit their proposals.
This is the fourth time that the date for submission of proposals has been to postponed in the tender for the construction of an "alternate route to go through the south of in order to avoid the bottleneck that is generated in the sector", reported Prensalibre.com. The road is estimated to cost approximately $32 million.
The government and heavy haulers will hold talks to address issues in the sector and plan out the new regulations.
From a press release issued by the Government of Guatemala:
The president of Guatemala, Otto Perez Molina, and heavy haulers agreed on Tuesday during a meeting held in the presidential palace, to set up a working group to address issues of interest, including the presentation of a new Transportation Act.
The feasibility studies for a highway linking the eight municipalities of the department of Guatemala were announced for 2014.
S21.com reports that the Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (CIV) will carry out in 2014 a feasibility study for the construction of the Metropolitan Ring Road project, a study which "will cost approximately $5 million."
From the 17th to 22nd of November IBWC 2013 will be held during which modern asphalt paving techniques will be revealed.
In addition there will also be promotions of research and surveys by road network administrators, research centers, universities, companies and other entities involved with the activity in the segment of asphalt mixtures, to strengthen the development of this technology in Ibero American countries.
The Brazilian Development Bank has loaned $40 million to be used for the expansion of the Cocales-Tecum Uman highway to four lanes.
According to Alejandro Sinibaldi, Guatemalan Minister of Communications, this money is in addition to $40 million which the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) has already granted to the ministry.
"This year we hope to run about $100 million to advance the construction of the road in several phases," said Sinibaldi.
Fiscal reforms and the lack of resources for public investment have generated great uncertainty in the sector, coming at the same time as a shrinking of construction projects for housing and public infrastructure.
This was despite the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat) having forecasted growth of 7.7%. The tax reform package passed last year by Congress includes measures affecting property development.
The issue that is planned to be made in July, will be used to settle accounts for $448.7 million which the government owes to builders.
"It's an important issue," said Alejandro Sinibaldi, head of the Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (VIC), therefore, this month the initiative will be taken to Congress.
According to the Finance Minister Pavel Centeno, the project will be undertaken after rearranging the budget, as there are plans to make spending cuts of about $153.8 million amid falling revenues.
The Atlantic Highway will be expanded from mile 57 to 80, with partial funding from the Taiwanese government.
From a press release issued by the Government of Panama:
The Government of Guatemala in June signed an agreement with the Republic of China-Taiwan to complete the works for expanding and improving the Atlantic Highway from kilometer 57 to El Rancho, kilometer 80, during a working visit made by the president Otto Perez Molina to that nation.
While the bidding for the pre-feasibility study for the highway concession between Escuintla and Puerto Quetzal is underway, the government is considering other routes to put under private management.
The head of the Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing, Alejandro Sinibaldi, said the study is part of a pilot plan, that if successful, would be applied to other routes in the country.
An announcement has been made in Guatemala for a housing subsidy program for public officials, and mortgage credit lines for private employees.
Prensalibre.com reports that Alejandro Sinibaldi, Minister of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (CIV in Spanish), advertised the program, after having opened the sixth edition of the Housing Fair Expocasa, organized every year by the Guatemalan Construction Chamber (CGC).
An announcement has been made for the launch in 2013 of a $4 million tender for a study of the construction of a mega bypass highway in the Guatemalan metropolitan area.
After having dragged on through the course of the present administration, the project, initially called the Peripheral Metropolitan Ring Road and then the Regional Ring Road, has been mentioned by the communications minister, Alejandro Sinibaldi, who announced that "the objective is to perform engineering and ground plan studies. The new studies will cost U.S. $4 million and the bidding process will begin in June 2013. "
During the inauguration of " Expo Casa" President Perez Molina announced the provision of 18,000 housing subsidies and another 6,000 for the "piso seguro" (safe floors) project.
The current housing deficit in Guatemala is estimated at 1.7 million, and the plan is to resolve this by Government led construction of houses using the Guatemalan Housing Fund (FOGUAVI), which has a budget of about $58 million a year for real estate projects.
A drop to half the number of passengers in international air terminals is the reason for the decision to suspend expansion works and improvements.
From the 2.5 million people who used the international airport in previous years, less than half, about 1.2 million people now go through it, said Alejandro Sinibaldi, Minister of Communications.
The minister said the flow of tourists entering the airport La Aurora was reduced by 50 percent due to security problems and the withdrawal of some airlines flying to Guatemala, reported elPeriodico.com.gt.