Colombian National Infrastructure Agency (ANI) has awarded the Connection North highway concession to the consortium Autopistas del Nordeste SPV.

The consortium is formed by KMA Construcciones Colombia (25%), Ortiz Construcciones y Proyectos Sucursal Colombia (25%), Equipo Universal S.A (25%), and Valores y Contratos S.A. (25%). The team beat out competition from China Gezhouba Group Company Limited Colombia, which was the other team that bid for the road PPP project.

The 145 km road project includes the stretches Remedios-Alto de Dolores-Puerto Berrío. The project involves the development of a 490 m tunnel, the Caucasia bypass and 96 bridges.

The total investment is estimated at P980 billion (US$467 million). The preferred bidder requested a total of P870 billion from the Colombian government.

The project is part of the nine concessions that comprise Autopistas para la Prosperidad highway project. Total investments will exceed 13 trillion pesos (US$7.1 billion) and will feature contributions from the national government through the ANI, the Government of Antioquia and the Government of Medellín.

These road concessions will allow Colombia's Atlantic Coast and Antioquia to connect efficiently with the "Eje Cafetero" and the Cauca valley, decreasing in 7 hours the travel distance between Medellin and Buenaventura port.

As part of the Autopistas para la Prosperidad, ANI signed in mid September Pacific Connection highway concession 1 and  Pacific Connection highway concession 2, and received two proposals for the Magdalena River highway 2. ANI also awarded on 15 July 2014 the Pacific Connection highway concession 3.