The elevators installed at the Pedrozo pedestrian footbridge in Ypacaraí were removed on Friday, September 11. The equipment had been presented as an inclusive solution after the fatal accident on August 15 at the kilometer 47 intersection of Ruta PY02, which left six people dead.
The removal took place while there is still no public decision on installing new elevators or keeping the footbridge without that service. Residents questioned the construction work and said the equipment had faults, did not operate properly, and had a level difference between the sidewalk and the elevator floor.
During a broadcast last month, an employee prevented a test from being conducted, saying that the elevators could only be used by people in wheelchairs. An older man was also unable to use the equipment. The situation intensified criticism of the solution adopted by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC), the government body responsible for the country’s road infrastructure.
While the elevators have been removed, two minibuses continue operating to transport residents. A third vehicle, identified as belonging to the Consorcio Privado Rutas del Este, also began operating at the site and has a wheelchair ramp. Driver Jorge Molina said the service is available to people of all ages and reported transporting children and teenagers during school arrival and dismissal times.
According to the account released, three drivers take turns to maintain coverage for almost 24 hours. Residents who use the service said the alternative is safer than crossing at the traffic light, where they often had to run to get across the highway.
The footbridge project is part of an addendum signed in December 2024 between the MOPC and Rutas del Este, with a projected cost of US$714,419. The removal of the elevators leaves open how the accessibility provided for in the project will be guaranteed.
In the same area, an emergency escape ramp prevented another accident on Ruta PY02. A truck with a mechanical failure was able to stop safely on the structure located at kilometer 48.3, on the descent from Caacupé Hill. The episode underscores the different functions of road-safety devices: the ramp is used when vehicles lose control, while the footbridge and auxiliary transport seek to protect pedestrians on one of the highway’s most dangerous stretches.