Buenos Aires’ new urban motorway, the Paseo del Bajo, won the award for Best Urban Works 2019 at the Argentine Road Association Awards, which is organised annually to mark Argentina’s National Road Day. The award recognises the impact that the Paseo del Bajo has had on reducing the city’s traffic congestion and improving north-south connectivity thanks to four new semi-covered lanes and the remodelling of eight surface lanes totalling more than six kilometres in length.

Ineco, in collaboration with its local partner AC&A, carried out the inspection of section B of the works (southern semi-covered trench), a semi-underground four-lane road intended for heavy goods vehicle traffic in the centre of Buenos Aires. With a length of 7.1 kilometres, it is one of the most important civil works that has ever been carried out in Argentina and has enabled the Buenos Aires-La Plata and Illia motorways to be connected and new green spaces in Buenos Aires’ El Bajo district to be created.

According to the municipal government, more than 134,000 residents of Buenos Aires benefit directly from the Paseo del Bajo, a new 7.1 kilometre road corridor that opened in May and crosses the city from north to south, connecting the Buenos Aires-La Plata and Illia highways. It has a total of 12 lanes, four of which run in the semi-depressed central road section (trench) that is exclusively for heavy vehicles and operates as a highway: according to the Buenos Aires Department of Urban Development and Transport, every day more than 15,300 lorries weighing 12 tonnes or more and more than 800 coaches travel this section.

The rest of the traffic –which consists of approximately 76,000 private vehicles per day and public transport– uses the eight surface lanes located on both sides of the trench, four on each side (two in each direction), on Avenidas Alicia Moureau and Huergo. The left-hand lanes are designed for through traffic and cars are not allowed to stop. The project also included the construction of nine bridges along the Paseo to connect both sides of the road and 60,000 m² of green areas, bicycle lanes and a large pedestrian stairway by the Puente de la Mujer bridge, which connects Plaza de Mayo to the Puerto Madero district of the city.

Ineco’s participation

Beginning in 2017, Ineco, together with its local partner AC&A, carried out inspection work for AUSA (Autopistas Urbanas SA) on the new infrastructure’s section B, the ‘southern semi-covered trench,’ which was opened to traffic on 27 May after several days of events and in an atmosphere of celebration: it was a project that was long-awaited by the three million inhabitants of the Argentine capital, which, together with its metropolitan area, has a population of around 12 million people.

It is one of the most important civil works projects in the country and, thanks to it, travel time has been reduced from 50 to 10 minutes

It is one of the most important civil works projects in the country and, thanks to it, travel time has been reduced from 50 minutes to 10 minutes. The new road enables cargo traffic to travel from the Buenos Aires-La Plata highway, cross the city centre without having to stop for traffic lights and directly access the port and Retiro bus terminal.

The company provided the Ministry of Transport with technical assistance on slab track technology. The work culminated with several days of training in Buenos Aires that was attended by 40 technicians.

The Paseo del Bajo project is one of the most important civil works that are being carried out in Argentina. It will connect Buenos Aires-La Plata and Illia highways creating new green spaces in the El Bajo area of Buenos Aires. Its aim is to relieve congestion in the city traffic and to improve the North-South connections with 12 new lanes measuring over six kilometres in length.

Ineco, in collaboration with its local partner AC&A, will inspect the works for the new Paseo del Bajo road in Buenos Aires, in section B, ‘Trinchera semicubierta Sur’, a semi- underground road of 4 lanes intended for heavy vehicles traffic. This new access will allow freight traffic to exit the Buenos Aires-La Plata highway, cross the centre without traffic lights and to enter the port and the Retiro bus terminal directly, substantially improving travel times.

Ineco has already worked in Argentina developing studies for the restoration of the line between San Salvador de Jujuy and La Quiaca.