FONPLATA approved funding for the improvement and expansion of the Senkata—La Apacheta highway in Bolivia, aiming at optimizing the service and traffic conditions on this 8-km stretch (about 4.97 mi), which is part of the La Paz—Oruro dual carriageway.

The Development Bank will grant USD 57.25 million to the Ministry of Development Planning of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, and the Bolivian Highway Administration (ABC) will oversee the execution of the works.

The La Paz-Oruro highway was built in 1971 and, in 2019, was improved and turned into a dual carriageway. It is an international road axis facilitating trade and access to ports in the Pacific Ocean and is part of the bioceanic integration network with Brazil and Chile.

The stretch undergoing roadworks crosses urban areas of three municipalities: El Alto, Viacha, and Achocalla. Currently, urban mobility flows and those of Bolivia's Main Road Network (RVF) converge into this area. The growing demand and circulation of vehicles generates traffic jams, accelerating road degradation and increasing the risk of accidents.

The work will improve the capacity and accessibility of the road by increasing the number of lanes and separating the highway from the urban network. Consequently, traffic flow will be safer to both vehicles and pedestrians, and accident rates will be reduced. In addition, more than 1,2 million people living in the area will directly benefit from the work, and, indirectly, the entire population of the department of La Paz.

The program is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 5 – Gender Equality; SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth; and SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.

08/28/2023