Toyo Tunnel Project: 'Tunnel Zero' Connects Medellín with Urabá Antioqueño

A significant construction milestone has been achieved in Colombia's Antioquia department with the "meeting" of the two excavation fronts for Tunnel 0 of the massive Toyo Tunnel project. This event marks the complete connection of the underground structure, a critical component designed to directly link the Aburrá Valley with the western Antioquia region and the Urabá subregion.

The Tunnel 0 is the first major underground passage travelers will encounter on the Gonzalo Mejía Trujillo "Vía al Mar" corridor. It measures 995 meters in length and required an investment of around 120 billion Colombian pesos. The tunnel is equipped with a 438-meter-long emergency gallery to ensure safe vehicular circulation, with a final usable area of 70 square meters.

Construction on this section began in January 2025, with excavation commencing in August of the same year. After just over ten months of continuous work in stable rock formations, an average daily progress of three meters led to this achievement. Approximately 1,200 people are currently employed on this stretch, including about 110 women.

Governor of Antioquia, Andrés Julián Rendón Cardona, and Mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga, highlighted the importance of regional economic autonomy during the event. Gutiérrez noted that Tramo 2, which was transferred from the national government in 2025 with 54% completion, has now reached 80% progress. This advancement was facilitated by Medellín's disbursement of 98 billion pesos this year to prevent the project's paralysis. Regional entities have invested a total of 856 billion pesos in Tramo 2 and 5.1 trillion pesos in the overall mega-project.

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Today the two excavation fronts met, and also the effort, perseverance, and conviction of a region that never gave up met. Tramo 1, which corresponded to the Mayor's Office of Medellín and the Governorate of Antioquia, is already 100% complete, and Tramo 2, which the Nation decided to abandon and which we took on between the Governorate of Antioquia and the Mayor's Office of Medellín, has already reached 80% progress.