The duplication of Route D025, General Elizardo Aquino Avenue, known as Tape Tuja and officially designated Corredor Vial Las Residentas, has already seen an increase of G. 33,387 million over the initially awarded amount, bringing the total to G. 166,960 million — a rise of approximately 25%, equivalent to US$ 5.6 million at the current exchange rate.
The project, financed by Itaipú Binacional and carried out by the construction firm Benito Roggio e Hijos S.A., represented by Óscar Franco, under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC), was awarded through the Itaipú Paraguay Technological Park Foundation (FPTI-PY). This mechanism is questioned for operating outside the scope of Law No. 7021 on Public Procurement, which reduces the levels of oversight and transparency applicable to state acquisitions.
José Cabrera Cordero, coordinator of the MOPC's Project Execution Unit and the official in charge of the project, was contacted to clarify the reasons behind the cost increase but did not answer calls or respond to messages.
Last Thursday, the assembly of the precast piles that will support the future return viaduct over Silvio Pettirossi Avenue, in the Ñu Guasu Park area of Luque, got underway. Between Thursday and Saturday, 11 pieces were installed at the site where the new overpass at the intersection of General Aquino and Silvio Pettirossi avenues will be built.
The work is being carried out on land formerly belonging to the Air Force, within the right-of-way of the Corredor Vial Las Residentas, without fully closing traffic flow. A temporary detour of approximately 200 meters was set up on the roadway heading toward Luque, using a bypass through the central median, with support from the Patrulla Caminera and flaggers.
According to the MOPC, most of the structure was designed with precast elements precisely to minimize the impact on traffic. Once completed, the project will allow a smoother connection to the Superviaducto and the city of Asunción, eliminating the existing at-grade crossing between the Corredor Vial Las Residentas and Silvio Pettirossi Avenue — one of the busiest traffic points in the metropolitan area.
The Corredor Vial Las Residentas project calls for expanding Route D025 from two to four lanes, benefiting approximately 500,000 people who use this strategic corridor between Luque and Asunción on a daily basis.