The construction of overlapping Roosevelt Roadin zone 11 of Guatemala City, accumulates about two years of delay with respect to the initial term offered For delivery.
Although after an amparo resolution of the Constitutional Court (CC) the works were reactivated in April of this 2025, the advances have been limited and a large part of the structure continues exposed to the weather, reflecting the effects of the prolonged delays.
The overpass of the Roosevelt road was awarded in 2022, during the administration of Alejandro Giammattei, for a cost of Q44 million 956 thousand, but, after additional works, the amount exceeded Q48 million.
However, the construction was suspended twice due to contractual breaches by the construction company, CEBCO.
Currently, after the agreements reached to reactivate the project, the construction company It has a term until December 22, 2025 To conclude 50% that is pending the work, as established in the conditions.
The work, which began to build the September 1, 2022 and had to end at the end of 2023he has faced multiple suspensions Derived from errors detected during its execution, breaches of the supervisory company and infrastructure relocations, among other factors.
Meanwhile, immediate works include strengthening the project area, initiating specific foundations and carrying out cleaning actions, after months of paralysis on the site.
He Minister of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (CIV), Miguel Ángel Díaz Bobadillasaid the Monday April 28, 2025 That an agreement was reached to restore the validity of the bonds, which had been left without effect due to observations of the supervisor company.
“They were given the peremptory time and those bonds charged validity, so the possibility that work could continue,” he said.
(Free Press Photo: Esbin García)
Oblig works at Roosevelt
After the reactivation, the portfolio explained that preliminary work began, such as Topographic studies and perimeter analysis.
Currently, the project area is reinforced by means of signaling and road safety devices to guarantee the protection of passersby and conductors in the surroundings.
As for the structure, it is scheduled that during the next weeks the Foundry of batteries number five (lodocreto) and the sixth and seventh (concrete), prior technical verification of the aptitude of existing steel.
Other planned works include:
- Maintenance of the existing elements of the work
- Material hauling (steel and concrete of 4,000 and 6,000 psi)
- Personnel and machinery transfer
- Installation of surveillance cameras
- General Cleaning of the Construction Area
- Environmental supervision by an environmental executor
Interruptions
Since it began with the work, the construction has been suspended in At least two occasions:
- November 2023: It was temporarily suspended due to the detection of a galvanized iron pipe and a collector between batteries 3 and 5, which forced to redesign the location of pile 7 to avoid damage to the existing infrastructure.
- June 2024: It was paralyzed again for breach of the Supervisora company, Constructora D&D Ramírez Hernández, in the delivery of an extension bond. The lack of supervision forced the work, since, according to the Social Fund of Solidarity (FSS), a work cannot be executed without formal supervision.
- Other temporary interruptions: Additional delays were reported by administrative and technical factors.
The project was initially awarded by Q44 million 956,502.84, But, after additional jobs, the amount exceeded Q48 millionaccording to the communications portfolio.
The case of the Paso de la Roosevelt remembers another unfinished project on the same route: the overpass of “El Molino”in zone 2 of Mixco.
Despite having been offered in 2014 during the Otto Pérez Molina government, The work was abandoned and today only concrete columns remain as vestiges of its beginning.
In that case, the current mayor of Mixco, Neto Bran, expressed his disinterest in retaking the project due to the rejection of neighbors, who alleged problems in design and accessibility.
Other projects with difficulties
As for the overpass of the Petapa Avenue and 53 StreetMinister Díaz Bobadilla acknowledged that The project was suspended and the contract terminated by errors detected in different phases of the execution, both by the authorities and of the contractors.
“To err is humans. There have been errors not only of our part, but also on the part of the contractors. In those events the errors have been remedied and they are uploaded again. We hope that in the next few days they can viable,” he said in a general way about the works under his charge.