Luque’s costly elevated highway begins to take shape

The elevated highway planned across Luque’s urban area has reached its 100th foundation pile, marking the first visible milestone in a project expected to cost more than $215 million. The nearly 3.6-kilometre structure forms part of a wider package of works added to the concession for Paraguay’s PY02 route.

The Ministry of Public Works and Communications said the project includes 233 planned foundations. Along the route, contractors have also completed 57 pile caps, 44 piers and 11 crossbeams. The progress on the foundations allows work to continue on the structure above them.

The works began in December last year after the ministry issued the order to start. They were incorporated into the concession through Addendum 7. The concession is held by Rutas del Este, a special-purpose company made up of Sacyr and Ocho A, which is represented by businessman Juan Carlos Pettengill.

The broader package includes expansion and improvements to the Luque-San Bernardino and Luque-Areguá roads, with a connection to PY02 near Ypacaraí. The project is intended to change travel along one of the busiest corridors in the Central Department, used by more than 250,000 people.

BID Invest, the Inter-American Development Bank’s private-sector financing arm, is providing the investment. Workers build each pile by preparing the site, drilling, installing steel reinforcement and pouring concrete with specialized equipment. Although the piles remain underground, the ministry describes them as essential to the highway’s stability and durability, requiring continuous technical checks and testing under road regulations.