Construction has started on the expansion of Bogotá’s Autopista Norte, marking the next stage of a major public investment intended to increase capacity between the capital and neighbouring municipalities. The project will expand the route from three to six lanes in each direction and includes dedicated TransMilenio space, grade-separated returns, pavements and cycle routes.
A wider corridor with dedicated transit space
The works begin on the eastern side of calle 245 and will expand the Autopista Norte to six lanes in each direction. Five lanes in each direction are planned for general vehicle traffic, while one will be reserved for TransMilenio, with overtaking lanes at stations. The project also includes grade-separated returns at calles 224 and 242, pavements and a cycle route on both sides of the corridor. The wider programme covers 17.9 kilometres across the Autopista Norte, carrera Séptima and the peripheral road of Sopó.
Environmental clearance unlocked the start
The start follows the lifting in August of an environmental restriction that had applied to part of the corridor. Colombia’s National Authority for Environmental Licences, Anla, confirmed that the conditions required before work could begin had been met, including those for the connection strip between the Torca and Guaymaral wetlands. Bogotá mayor Carlos Fernando Galán said the project had been held up when the environmental licence was archived because of a lack of coordination. He said the District then worked with the ANI and the concessionaire to secure the licence and other necessary permits.
Coordination sits alongside the concession
The procurement arrangement described in the source combines a concessionaire’s delivery role with public-sector coordination. The Concesionaria Ruta Bogotá Norte is the named concessionaire, while the Instituto de Desarrollo Urbano is responsible for coordinating District entities with the concessionaire and the ANI, Colombia’s national infrastructure agency. IDU director Orlando Molano said the parties had signed a coordination agreement. For bidders and public buyers, the transferable point is that construction can depend not only on the concession contract, but also on environmental permissions and formal coordination between agencies.
Investment reaches Bogotá and four municipalities
The project carries a total investment of $1.8 billones and is expected to benefit 10 million inhabitants of Bogotá and the municipalities of Chía, Cajicá, Tocancipá and Zipaquirá. The 17.9-kilometre intervention is divided among 5.8 kilometres of the Autopista Norte, 4.9 kilometres of carrera Séptima and 7.2 kilometres of Sopó’s peripheral road. The concessionaire has also described an elevated road formed with embankments: it would begin at level at calle 191, rise gradually between 10 and 30 centimetres, reach 4.4 metres at calle 220 and level out again at calle 245.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total investment | $1.8 billones |
| Total length | 17.9 kilometres |
| General traffic lanes | Five in each direction |
| TransMilenio lanes | One in each direction |
| Expected beneficiaries | 10 million inhabitants |
| Municipalities named | Chía, Cajicá, Tocancipá and Zipaquirá |
The project will expand the route to six lanes in each direction, including one lane for TransMilenio.
WHY IT MATTERS
The project shows how a large transport concession can move from announcement to construction only after environmental conditions, licences, permits and inter-agency coordination are in place. Its scale also makes the start of works a significant signal of public investment in Bogotá’s regional transport network.
Reported from larepublica.co, 2026-10-15. The Tender Wire is published by Otnox.
