Interoceanic Highway
Encyclopedia
The Interoceanic Highway or Trans-oceanic highway is an international, transcontinental highway in Peru
and Brazil
that is conecting the two coutries (map). It entails the renovation and construction of roughly 2,600 kilometers of roads and 22 bridges. When completed, it will create a connected highway from the Peruvian ports of San Juan de Marcona
to Brazilian ports and cities trought the City of Rio Branco ZPE (Especial Export Zone). Although the project almost exclusively involves construction in Peru because of Brazil's already well developed road system. The project was originally proposed more than 30 years before the 2004 agreement between Alejandro Toledo
and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
, then presidents of the two countries.
In Peru the project is known by the MTC (Ministerio de Transportes y Comunicaciones) as the Corredor Vial Interoceánico Sur Perú-Brasil, and by ProInversion (Private Investment Promotion Agency - Peru) as the IIRSA (Iniciativa para la Integración de la Infraestructura Regional Suramericana) SUR axis. The project is part of a national road investment plan which involves the construction of 3 longitudinal highways, and 20 transversal highways. Parts of these transversal highways make up part of IIRSA SUR.
In June 2005, the second, third, and fourth sections were leased to specialized Peruvian and Brazilian consortia
of private companies for 25 years, in which they will be responsible for looking after the highway, the built and forthcoming bridges, and tollbooths. The first and the last section were leased in 2007.
The Brazilian section runs from the border town of Assis Brasil
into the main Brazilian road network via Porto Velho
and Cuiabá
.
The total project has an estimated cost of US$1.3 billion, but some analysts predict a higher cost. Of this, about US $810 million is for stretches 2 - 4, $199 million is for stretches 1 and 5, and the remainder for bridges, urban connections, and overhead.
It is estimated that the project will employ about 6,000 people during construction. The project was expected to be completed in 2009, but now, Brazilian and Peruvian officials are pushing for a 2011 grand opening, once the final, and most difficult, stretch of the highway is completed in Peru.
s have expressed concern that the project was approved with atypically little effort on Environmental Impact Studies. Concerns are both environmental (such as deforestation
, illegal hunting
and fishing
, soil erosion
, loss of biodiversity
, or loss of ecotourism
value), and social (such as harm to indigenous populations, illegal crops, drug and arms trafficking, "slaving underemployment", or prostitution).
and Yurimaguas
, both in Peru, to give river access to the Amazon and Brazil.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
that is conecting the two coutries (map). It entails the renovation and construction of roughly 2,600 kilometers of roads and 22 bridges. When completed, it will create a connected highway from the Peruvian ports of San Juan de Marcona
San Juan de Marcona
San Juan de Marcona is the capital of the Marcona District of Nazca Province, Ica Region, Peru. It is a mining, commercial, port, and fishing town, with a population of approximately 20,000 inhabitants.-Pacific Ocean terminal of the Interoceanic Highway:...
to Brazilian ports and cities trought the City of Rio Branco ZPE (Especial Export Zone). Although the project almost exclusively involves construction in Peru because of Brazil's already well developed road system. The project was originally proposed more than 30 years before the 2004 agreement between Alejandro Toledo
Alejandro Toledo
Alejandro Celestino Toledo Manrique is a politician who was President of Peru from 2001 to 2006. He was elected in April 2001, defeating former President Alan García...
and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...
, then presidents of the two countries.
In Peru the project is known by the MTC (Ministerio de Transportes y Comunicaciones) as the Corredor Vial Interoceánico Sur Perú-Brasil, and by ProInversion (Private Investment Promotion Agency - Peru) as the IIRSA (Iniciativa para la Integración de la Infraestructura Regional Suramericana) SUR axis. The project is part of a national road investment plan which involves the construction of 3 longitudinal highways, and 20 transversal highways. Parts of these transversal highways make up part of IIRSA SUR.
Construction
As the project will link 3 Peruvian ports to Brazil, the route has several branches (map). Furthermore the construction of the various branches has been divided up into a number of stretches or sections, each of which has been constructed as part of a separate concession. Five concessions were constructed in 2 blocks:- block of concessions awarded in 2005:
- 2: UrcosUrcosUrcos is a small town in eastern Peru, capital of the province Quispicanchi in the region Cusco. It is home to a small lake and ruins....
(near CuscoCuscoCusco , often spelled Cuzco , is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
) - Inambari, Inambari DistrictInambari DistrictInambari District is one of four districts of the province Tambopata in Peru.-References:...
(in the Amazon BasinAmazon BasinThe Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
, near Puerto MaldonadoPuerto MaldonadoPuerto Maldonado is a city in Southeastern Peru in the Amazon forest west of the Bolivian border on the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios River, a tributary of the Amazon River. It is the capital of the Madre de Dios Region....
); 300 km of previously unpaved roads - 3: Inambari - Iñapari, Iñapari DistrictIñapari DistrictIñapari District is one of three districts of the Province Tahuamanu in Peru.The Acre river marks the border. The 210 km long trip between Iñapari and Puerto Maldonado will last approximately 3 hours by car. This road is being paved nowadays. It is also the Customs, Point-of-Entry and bordertown on...
(on the Brazilian Border, opposite the Brazilian town of Assis BrasilAssis BrasilAssis Brasil is a municipality located in the south of the Brazilian state of Acre. Its population is 5351 and its area is 2,876 km².-Towns and villages:*Abismo*Assis Brasil - capital*Maloca*Reserva Extrema*São Francisco, Acre...
); 403 km of previously unpaved roads - 4: AzangaroAzángaroAzángaro is a town in Southern Peru, capital of the province Azángaro in the region Puno.The colonial church in Azangaro is known as the golden temple. In the adjacent Plaza San Bernardo, Pedro Vilca Apaza was drawn and quartered for his role as a General in Tupac Amaru II's attempt to liberate...
- Inambari; 306 km of previously unpaved roads
- 2: Urcos
- block of concessions awarded in 2007:
- 1: San Juan de MarconaSan Juan de MarconaSan Juan de Marcona is the capital of the Marcona District of Nazca Province, Ica Region, Peru. It is a mining, commercial, port, and fishing town, with a population of approximately 20,000 inhabitants.-Pacific Ocean terminal of the Interoceanic Highway:...
(Pacific Ocean) - NazcaNazcaNazca is a system of valleys on the southern coast of Peru, and the name of the region's largest existing town in the Nazca Province. It is also the name applied to the Nazca culture that flourished in the area between 300 BC and AD 800...
- AbancayAbancayAbancay is a city in southern-central Peru. It is the most important city in the Apurímac Region, and is the capital of the Abancay Province.-Location:...
- Cusco – Urcos; 763 km of previously paved roads - 5: branch 1 MataraniMataraniMatarani is a port city in Arequipa Region, Peru. It is a major port on the southern coast of Peru. The port is operated by Tisur.-Pacific Ocean terminal of the Interoceanic Highway:...
(Pacific Ocean) - ArequipaArequipaArequipa is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 836,859 it is the second most populous city of the country...
- JuliacaJuliacaJuliaca is San Roman's capital city in Puno Region, which is situated in southeastern Peru. It is the region's largest city with a population of 225,146 inhabitants , on the Altiplano, Juliaca above sea level, is located in the Collao Plateau and it is northwest of Lake Titicaca...
(near Lake TiticacaLake TiticacaLake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Peru and Bolivia. It sits 3,811 m above sea level, making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world...
) - Azangaro; and branch 2 IloIloIlo is a port city in southern Peru, with some 58,000 inhabitants. It is the largest city in the Moquegua Region and capital of the province of Ilo.-History:...
(Pacific Ocean) - MoqueguaMoqueguaMoquegua is a city in southern Peru, located in the Moquegua Region, of which it is the regional capital. It is also capital of Mariscal Nieto Province and Moquegua District. It is located 1144 kilometers south from the capital city of Lima.-History:...
- Humajalso - Puente Gallatini - PunoPunoPuno is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is the capital city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province with a population of approximately 100,000. The city was established in 1668 by viceroy Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro as capital of the province of...
- Juliaca; 752 km of previously paved roads and 62 km of previously unpaved roads
- 1: San Juan de Marcona
In June 2005, the second, third, and fourth sections were leased to specialized Peruvian and Brazilian consortia
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
of private companies for 25 years, in which they will be responsible for looking after the highway, the built and forthcoming bridges, and tollbooths. The first and the last section were leased in 2007.
The Brazilian section runs from the border town of Assis Brasil
Assis Brasil
Assis Brasil is a municipality located in the south of the Brazilian state of Acre. Its population is 5351 and its area is 2,876 km².-Towns and villages:*Abismo*Assis Brasil - capital*Maloca*Reserva Extrema*São Francisco, Acre...
into the main Brazilian road network via Porto Velho
Porto Velho
Porto Velho is the capital of the Brazilian state of Rondônia, in the upper Amazon River basin. The population is estimated to be 426,558 people...
and Cuiabá
Cuiabá
Under the Koppen climate classification, Cuiaba features a tropical wet and dry climate. Cuiabá is famous for its searing heat, although temperatures in winter can arrive sporadically at 10 degrees, indeed atypical, caused by cold fronts coming from the south, and that may only last one or two...
.
The total project has an estimated cost of US$1.3 billion, but some analysts predict a higher cost. Of this, about US $810 million is for stretches 2 - 4, $199 million is for stretches 1 and 5, and the remainder for bridges, urban connections, and overhead.
It is estimated that the project will employ about 6,000 people during construction. The project was expected to be completed in 2009, but now, Brazilian and Peruvian officials are pushing for a 2011 grand opening, once the final, and most difficult, stretch of the highway is completed in Peru.
Andean watershed crossings
Two branches of the Interoceanic Highway cross the main Andean watershed. The Urcos - Inambari branch crosses the watershed approximately here, about 7km (in a straight line) north-east of Urcos (the road distance is much longer). The Azangaro - Inambari branch crosses the watershed approximately here, about 85km north of Azangaro.Environmental concerns
Several non-governmental organizationNon-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
s have expressed concern that the project was approved with atypically little effort on Environmental Impact Studies. Concerns are both environmental (such as deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
, illegal hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, soil erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
, loss of biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
, or loss of ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
value), and social (such as harm to indigenous populations, illegal crops, drug and arms trafficking, "slaving underemployment", or prostitution).
Other Trans-Andean transport projects
There is an intention to build another route between PaitaPaita
Paita is a city in northwestern Peru. It is the capital of the Paita Province which is in the Piura Region. It is a leading seaport in that region...
and Yurimaguas
Yurimaguas
Yurimaguas is a thriving port-town in the Loreto Region of northeastern Peruvian Amazonia. Historically associated with Maynas Pais de los Maynas, the culturally diverse town is affectionately known as the "Pearl of the Huallaga"...
, both in Peru, to give river access to the Amazon and Brazil.