Contracts Awarded for Studies and Designs of the Bucaramanga-Soto Norte Road Construction

• • Proyecto Soto Norte has allocated nearly 2.7 billion pesos (US$675,000) to advance one of the region's most emblematic and essential projects: the construction of 98.87 kilometers of road connecting Santander's capital with the Soto Norte Province.
• • This project represents a significant leap forward in addressing the connectivity challenges in this department area, which have persisted due to the poor conditions of this vital road corridor. The improved connectivity will open new opportunities and foster a sense of optimism for the future.

Matanza (Santander), September 2, 2024. Following a rigorous evaluation and selection process supported by social organizations and provincial leaders, Proyecto Soto Norte (PSN) awarded a COP 2.7-billion contract to conduct pre-feasibility and feasibility studies. These studies will include detailed assessments of the road's design, environmental impact, and cost estimates, along with designs for the 98.87-kilometer road connecting Soto Norte to Santander's capital. This project will benefit over 35,000 residents of the province.

Through an innovative community participation model implemented by PSN, known as the Social Agreement, over 1,200 leaders voted in real-time, including mayors, councilors, Community Action Boards, and residents of California, Suratá, and Matanza. This model ensures that the community's needs and priorities are considered in the project planning. They prioritized the contracting of studies and designs for the Soto Norte-Bucaramanga Road as the flagship project of the company's Social Investment Plan, recognizing it as the most beneficial initiative for all province residents.

"It's wonderful to receive this news. We all struggle with the poor condition of the roads, especially when transporting groceries and crops, so we are grateful to Proyecto Soto Norte for supporting us in realizing this long-held dream," said Esther Melo, a resident of Matanza.

Luis Castillo, a resident of Suratá, added, "We are ready to provide all the support needed to advance this project, which has us excited and full of expectations."

Following the bidding process, Unión Temporal Vías Soto—comprised of Santander firms DAC Ingenieros SAS and Consultores Solano Navas LTDA, along with Empresa de Proyectos Civiles EMPROCIV SAS from Cundinamarca—will undertake the studies and designs, which are expected to be completed within one year.

"This project will enhance regional connectivity, ease traffic and trade, and contribute to the economic and social progress of the communities involved. Developing this road will strengthen our province and bring the much-needed development we seek. By conducting the pre-feasibility studies, we will save national entities considerable effort and expense, as these studies often remain undone due to high costs," said Danilo Valbuena, Mayor of California, representing the six mayors of the Soto Norte province.

Yaneth Mantilla Barón, PSN's Executive Vice President for Strategic Affairs, stated, “We are thrilled to see how social investment is translating into projects that the residents of Soto Norte have been waiting for years. We are committed to the comprehensive development of our province and the well-being of our people. That's why we have arranged with the contractor to receive partial deliverables, providing technical inputs to enable local officials to secure the money needed through the tax-for-works mechanism, a funding model where a portion of the taxes collected from the improved economic activity due to the road construction is used to fund the project. This will specifically benefit the road sections in the ZOMAC municipalities (Matanza, Charta, and Suratá).”

According to the Vice President of PSN, given the scope of this contract, the ambitious project has been divided into two sections. The first section covers 42.07 kilometers between La Capilla, on the outskirts of Bucaramanga, and California and is distributed as follows:

• Capilla Baja – La Playa
• La Playa – Matanza
• La Playa – Charta
• Matanza – Suratá
• Suratá – California

The second section covers 56.8 kilometers, extending from California to Vetas, reaching the point known as Berlín on the national highway to Cúcuta. This section will provide an alternative route to the main road leading to the capital of Santander in case of blockades or closures and is distributed as follows:

• California – Vetas
• Vetas – Berlín
• Bucaré - Charta (Agricultural Corridor: Connects Matanza - Charta - Suratá, through tertiary roads).

Currently, the condition of these corridors is highly deficient, with issues including leaks on the banks, inadequate management of rainwater and surface water, and a lack of protective railings to prevent accidents caused by derailment.

The advancement of this new road infrastructure is a testament to the commitment and collaboration of various regional stakeholders. Their involvement in this crucial link between the province and the department's capital drives sustainable development, improves travel times, and creates significant opportunities in the economic, tourism, and agricultural sectors that fuel the local economy. This sense of inclusion is key to the project's success.

Once again, Proyecto Soto Norte reaffirms its commitment to the region's well-being and progress by promoting initiatives that will positively transform the lives of its residents.

Between 2023 and 2024, PSN made significant strides in building one kilometer of rural roads and renovating 3.4 kilometers of secondary roads in California, Matanza, and Suratá. This project, which benefited over 8,000 residents in the most remote areas of these municipalities, including hundreds of students whose school routes traverse these previously inadequate roads, is a testament to our collective progress and should be a source of pride for all stakeholders.