Cash boost for roads in Colombia's department of Boyacá

Projects will include the construction of seven roads in areas considered critical due to a lack of infrastructure. Upgrades on three roads connecting Los Llanos to the Magdalena river basin are also part of plans, the report said.

The initiative is part of the government's roads for competitiveness programme, which will include investments along highways Cusiana, Chiquinquirá-Otanche-Puerto Boyacá and El Sisga-Guateque-San Luis de Gaceno-El Secreto.

Boyacá chamber representative, Juan Carlos Granados said in the report, "They have never approved so much national budget funds for the department."

The Cusiana road will connect the country with Venezuela and authorities expect tenders to launch this October, with works along the Sogamoso-Yopal highway stretch to launch at the beginning of next year.

The report added 84 km of the 127 km long El Sisga-Guateque-San Luis de Gaceno-El Secreto corridor will be improved.

Work on the Chiquinquirá-Puerto Boyacá highway, will include the rehabilitation of 110 km of the road's total 187 km, including the paving of 90 km and the rehabilitation of the asphalt layer on a 20 km stretch.

According to local media, construction is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2009.