Twenty -nine companies show interest in expanding the route to the Atlantic to four lanes, between the ranch and Teculután

A total of 29 national and international companies have shown interest, until May 30, 2025, in participating in the bidding event of the Extension project of the section that leads to El Rancho, in the progress towards Teculután, Zacapa.

The information was provided by the Ministry of Communications, which launched the call for the international public tender on May 14, for the execution of the four-lane expansion project of the North CA-9 route, section of the Racho-Tulután.

It was also reported that on May 19, the consultations of the companies interested in carrying out the execution of the project were answered.

Objective of the work

The work will intervene a total of 31 kilometers from the El Rancho village, in El Progreso, A Teculután, Zacapa. At the moment, This highway section has only two lanes, one in each direction, so with these works it will be expanded to 4 lanesto make a total of 2 on each road.

According to the schedule of the Ministry of Communications, for September of this year, the presentation of the offers of the interested companies is contemplated.

In November the presentation of the report of the evaluation of the offers will be carried out and in December the award of the project will be carried out.

The works are scheduled to start in January 2026.

Financing

The project that includes the rehabilitation and expansion of a 31-kilometer section of the CA-9 North route will be financed by a loan of US $ 75 million granted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and an agreement with the Official Credit Institute of Spain for US $ 100 million, which in its entirety equals more than Q1 thousand 350 million, funds that were approved by Congress in October last year.

According to the projections of the communications portfolio, the works will have an estimated duration of 36 months and will cover from kilometer 85.3 in the ranch to kilometer 120.3, at the entrance to Teculután.

In this first phase does not contemplate the libramiento that had been announced in previous stages, since its construction first requires the authorization of the four lanes, according to the technical studies of the CIV.

Modernization Plan

The expansion of the section The Rancho-Tulután, is part of the process of modernization of the route to the Atlantic, which began in 2006 with Taiwan financing. Since then, improvements were made in the asphalt layer and signaling among other arrangements.

In 2015, the four -lane extension between the capital city and the ranch began, works that concluded in 2020 after numerous delays caused by 46 litigation by right of road, a situation that could be given again when the construction of this new section is carried out.

More kilometers were contemplated

The former Minister of Communications, Aldo García, affirmed that during his administration in 2017, the studies for this work were advanced by 80% and there were only some details related to the construction of small bridges.

He also indicated that these studies covered a more extensive stretch, from kilometer 85 at the ranch to Mayuelas, in Gualán, Zacapa (kilometer 166), which represents an expansion of 81 kilometers, that is, 46 kilometers more than those included in the project that is currently being tendered.

Garcia also commented that the expansion of this route has been an urgent need for several years. He assured that, during his management at the head of the Civ in 2017, The Taiwan government offered a donation to finance the project.

“He was scheduled for many years. In fact, Taiwan had offered a donation, but unfortunately he did not realize. Subsequently, in the previous government the President (Alejandro Giammattei) decided to reorient that contribution to hospitals, including Chimaltenango’s,” he said.

International Call

On the four -lane extension works of the El Rancho section towards Teculután, the former communications minister Aldo García, says that it is important that the tender is open internationally, since there are qualified and experienced companies, with experience, that other projects have carried out in Guatemalaso it would be positive that they can also submit their proposals in this project.

He also commented that there are other national and foreign companies that also meet the technical standards required by the Ministry of Communications and that this project could also carry out efficiently.