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Pedrozo: Traffic Surges as Work Progresses Only After Tragedy
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Disasters & Emergencies

Pedrozo: Traffic Surges as Work Progresses Only After Tragedy

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Intense traffic plagued Route PY02 in Pedrozo, Ypacaraí, after a traffic light was removed following a fatal accident, exacerbating circulation issues.
  • Authorities accelerated land acquisition for a long-delayed overpass only after the deadly crash, highlighting a slow reaction to safety concerns.
  • The Ministry of Public Works and Communications expects to complete the acquisition of remaining properties soon, aiming to expedite the construction of the Jhugua Jhu–Pedrozo overpass.

Heavy traffic choked the PY02 highway in Pedrozo, Ypacaraí, on Sunday, August 23, 2026, highlighting ongoing circulation difficulties. The congestion occurred after authorities removed a traffic light at a dangerous intersection, a move made following a fatal accident on August 15 that claimed six lives.

The congestion registered this Sunday again exposes the difficulties faced by drivers and pedestrians in one of the most dangerous points of the main road connecting the east of the country with Asunción.

— ABC ColorDescribing the persistent traffic problems at the Pedrozo intersection.

The removal of the traffic signal has not resolved the underlying issues, as evidenced by the Sunday gridlock. This situation once again draws attention to the delays in construction and the tardy response from officials. It was only after the tragic accident that the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) intensified efforts to secure the land needed for the Jhugua Jhu–Pedrozo overpass, a project that had been stalled for months.

Roland Cardozo, chief inspector of the Traffic Patrol, confirmed that traffic flow from the interior to the capital is open but slow near the Pedrozo crossing. Work is proceeding 24 hours a day, with one lane currently restricted. Cardozo anticipates the restricted lane could reopen in about 10 days if work progresses as planned. Traffic police and Route of the East patrols are on-site to manage the flow.

Only after the tragedy did the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) accelerate the procedures to release the land that still prevented progress with the Jhugua Jhu–Pedrozo overpass.

— ABC ColorHighlighting the delayed official response to the safety issues at the Pedrozo crossing.

The MOPC, led by Claudia Centurión, reported that 12 of the 13 necessary properties have been secured, with the final one expected to be intervened with shortly. This development is starkly contrasted with the irreversible tragedy faced by the victims' families, as state procedures only now seem to be unblocking a project crucial for improving safety on a key route. The Jhugua Jhu–Pedrozo overpass was initially scheduled for completion in May, according to the MOPC's own timeline, but remains unfinished.

The Jhugua Jhu–Pedrozo overpass should have been completed last May, according to the schedule announced by the MOPC itself.

— ABC ColorPointing out the missed deadline for the crucial infrastructure project.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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