President Gabriel Boric announces new Connectivity Plan for the Aysén Region for close to $600 billion
The plan includes the paving of 140 km of Ruta 7 during the current government period, as well as making progress on maritime connectivity.
The President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, traveled to the wharf of Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez this Thursday afternoon to announce the Improvement Plan for Integration and Connectivity in the Aysén Region.
“The plan will bring an improvement in quality of life and greater opportunities for development, opening the doors to tourism, which has tremendous potential in a region like this. A tourism that is green, that is proud of the land, that employs SMEs and family organizations, that also generates a greater connection with history, with care for nature,” the President stated.
The President explained that the State, through the Public Works Ministry, is fully taking on the challenge of financing and carrying out the strategic connectivity of Ruta 7. An investment of close to $600 billion Chilean pesos (US$756 million) will be provided to the Aysén Region and Palena Province over eight years.
Specifically, it will allow progress to be made on paving 140 km of road during the current government period between 2022 and 2026. In 2023, work will begin on another 39 km of the Ruta 7.
“I promise to discuss and carry out a plan for at least 140 km of road, which will speed things up for the Aysén Region and connect the most remote places in the region. We are going to do it and we are going to put all of our energy into it, because it’s a state matter, it’s a state vision to connect our territory, it’s geopolitically important, it’s about the dignity of its inhabitants,” the President promised.
The President also said, “we are going to fit out a new ferry to reinforce connectivity between Chile Chico and Puerto Ibáñez over General Carrera Lake (…), which will be operating during the second half of the year. This measure is accompanied by a new policy for the operation of ships, which allows us to solve problems in the service more efficiently (…). We are going to carry out comprehensive renovation of the runway at the Villa O’Higgins Aerodrome (…). Based on what we have agreed with the region, we are going to modify the Programming Agreement for Ruta 7, as I was saying earlier, to update it and go beyond the 140 km of road (…). We are committed to moving forward with the Town Hall building, as the municipal officials who I see over there were commenting; we are going to make it happen together.”
Specifically, works will be carried out on the Cruce Bahía Murta to Puente El Belga section (17 Km), in the municipality of Río Ibáñez; the Baker and Neff River Confluence to Chacabuco Bridge section (17 Km), in the municipality of Cochrane; the Southern Limit of Patagonia National Park to Cochrane Northern Access section (5 km), in the municipality of Cochrane. The Palena and Rosselot bridges, in the municipality of Cisnes, will also be replaced, and other works on Ruta 7 will be re-tendered. Work will begin this 2023.
President Gabriel Boric Font said, “we will continue working alongside you, here in the field, to improve the living conditions of our people everywhere, in Chile’s most remote places, so that in all parts of our country, everyone has the right to a dignified and happy life.”