The Ministry of Public Works (MOP) has awarded the concession for the new 24 km long Orbital Sur highway in Santiago for an investment of US$539 million, which will cover the communes of Peñaflor, Calera de Tango and San Bernardo in Chile.
This new high-standard road will cut travel times between these communes by up to 30 minutes, benefiting nearly 480,000 people and improving connectivity with the Southern Access, Route 5 South, and Route 78. The highway will extend from the South Access along the northern bank parallel to the Maipo River to Route 5 South, incorporating a new link between these two major roads. Between Route 5 and Route 78, it will run parallel to the south of the current Calera de Tango road, ultimately connecting with Route 78 north of Peñaflor. The new concession includes six links: Route 78, a new southern connection to Peñaflor; the road to Lonquén; Route 5; the new Costanera del Maipo in the Los Morros San Bernardo Sector; and the Southern Access.
The route also includes uneven crossings at La Primavera, Los Tilos, Camino Independencia, El Barrancón, and Padre Hurtado, as well as replacing the existing pedestrian walkway on Route 5 (San Bernardo) and building a new walkway in San Bernardo. Additionally, local roads will be developed in Peñaflor and San Bernardo, along with a section of the Costanera Norte del Maipo, and a new road to connect the project with Av. Balmaceda in the southern sector of Peñaflor. Additionally, in the commune of Calera de Tango, the route of Camino Lonquén will be upgraded over approximately 2 km, expanding from a bidirectional track to two lanes in each direction up to the junction with Camino Calera de Tango. At this junction, the project includes the construction of an overpass and an overpass solution for the intersection of the expressway with Manuel Castillo Street. The project also encompasses landscaping, LED lighting in interchange areas, speed change lanes, local roads, intersections, walkways, and the enhancement of the existing cycle path on Camino Lonquén.
The Orbital Sur, slated to begin construction in 2027 and operational by 2030, is particularly significant as it marks the first segment of the second ring road of the Metropolitan Region.