Proyecto Soto Norte finished the construction of eleven new tertiary roads in California

• Proyecto Soto Norte hired local labor and five local construction firms to build the new roads, which will improve access and safety for Californians.
• Proyecto Soto Norte and the communities united under the Social Agreement, a testament to our shared commitment to improving the region's infrastructure. Together, we identified the towns and villages that would benefit most from the new roads.

California, August 13, 2024. Proyecto Soto Norte (PSN) finished the construction of 596 meters of new tertiary roads to improve road connectivity between the urban and rural sectors of the municipality of California (Santander).

The road development project emerged from the Social Agreement meetings between PSN and the communities. This innovative participation mechanism allows the province's communities to vote in real-time for the projects they consider will have the most significant impact. In this way, PSN and the communities have agreed on the priorities of PSN's social investment plan.

The Social Agreement between PSN and the communities of Soto Norte is now publicly recognized for its social impact in the region. Thus, in 2023, the company allocated part of the social budget to build eleven new tertiary roads to improve access and safety for road users.

The roads that have already been built and opened for the public thanks to this joint work between the communities and PSN are:

1. Cerrillos: 50 meters
2. La Matacha: 70 meters
3. El Higuerón: 60 meters
4. La Baja School: 31 meters
5. Curva de Potosí: 40 meters
6. La Minita 1: 90 meters
7. La Minita 2: 30 meters
8. La Bodega: 70 meters
9. Agualimpia: 35 meters
10. Tronadora – Stretch 1: 50 meters
11. Tronadora – Stretch 2: 70 meters

"We are sure that these new roads will contribute greatly to the development of the municipality and the region. These new roads will improve mobility and allow farmers to bring their produce out to market without much trouble during the rainy season," said Yaneth Mantilla Barón, PSN's Vice President for Strategic Affairs.

The tertiary roads followed the specifications of the National Roads Institute for road construction, including construction techniques such as glued stone, reinforced concrete, and ditches.

PSN hired more than fifty people from the local communities to carry out the construction, including local companies Arengeo, Ecoam Soluciones Ambientales, Calimineros, Obcisan, and Macrosoluciones.

According to the communities, the construction and rehabilitation of the roads had always been a pressing need. The communities took the opportunity to thank PSN for the investment and expect such projects to continue.

"Communities are thrilled. It was tough to drive up the steep and uneven roads. We are very grateful. It was a terrible risk to try to drive up those old roads. Now, we can transport raw materials to our farms and bring our produce down to the main town. The ambulance can now reach those towns and villages it could not reach before. The ambulance could only get to a certain point, where we had to transfer the wounded or the sick," said Félix del Carmen Lazo Pabón, a resident of the Cerrillos village.

Por su parte, Martha Cecilia Álvarez, miembro de la Comisión de Infraestructura Vial de California, dijo que, en general, todos los que han participado del Acuerdo Social y los habitantes de los diferentes sectores se siente agradecidos por la ejecución de estas obras.

“Teníamos vías difíciles, cuando llovía se ponía muy lisa para carros y motos, ahora es diferente. Estamos muy agradecidos porque la empresa tuvo en cuenta a la comunidad”, acotó.

Proyecto Soto Norte's goal is to stimulate the local and regional economy. To achieve this, we required our suppliers to be local and regional, and our contractors to hire local skilled labor. We are delighted to witness the growth of our province, thanks to these development opportunities.

With these actions, Proyecto Soto Norte reaffirms its dedication to sustainable development and community well-being. The collaboration among PSN, local businesses, leaders, authorities, and the community has significantly improved California's road infrastructure, enhancing the quality of life for its residents.