Plans for Northern Longitudinal highway

El Salvador will be building a roadway across the northern tier of the country using funds from the Millennium Challenge Account. The progress on that project was described in this article from Business News Americas:

Initial Longitudinal del Norte studies expected for February
October 11, 2007

Final results for studies on the construction of an initial 150km section of the Longitudinal del Norte highway in northern El Salvador are expected to be completed in February 2008, an official from public works ministry MOP told BNamericas.

Two reports for these studies - being carried out under a US$9.3mn contract awarded to a consortium between El Salvadorian company Consulta and US firm Parsons Brinckerhoff International - have already been handed in, with a third one expected soon, after which bidding will be called for preliminary works on the section, said the MOP official.

The studies will include the project's feasibility, as well as the relocation of residents, and the final project designs, said the official.

Upon the completion of these studies, works on the initial section of the highway could begin in the first quarter of next year, according to the MOP official.

The initial study results, however, will enable some preliminary works to begin sooner than that, the official added.

In addition, bidding will be called by year-end for the feasibility studies and designs on the remaining portion of the highway, said the official, adding that all final designs are expected for completion in the third quarter of next year.

Works on the remaining sections are expected to kick off by end-2008, or the beginning of 2009, said the MOP official.

The overall project will be to rehabilitate, expand, rebuild and maintain 648km of highway, 331km of which correspond to the Longitudinal del Norte highway, which runs from the country's La Virgen border with Guatemala to its La Concepción border with Honduras, plus a total of 317km of intersecting routes.

The works will be funded with US$233mn of a US$461mn donation from the US Millennium Challenge Corporation, approved for the country in June 2006 to reduce poverty in the northern zone.