Noboa says major Cuenca highways will be toll roads

The Cuenca-Molleturo-Guayaquil and Cuenca-Girón-Machala highways will soon become toll roads, President Daniel Noboa announced Wednesday. Plagued for years by landslides and sinkholes, both highways have suffered frequent closures, especially during rainy weather.

The Cuenca-Molleturo-Guayaquil and Cuenca-Girón-Machala highways suffer frequent closures as a result of landslides, especially in rainy weather.

“We have been studying the situation of these roads for a year and have finally determined a way forward,” the president told El Mercurio in an interview. “The routes will be concessioned to a private contractor who will provide maintenance and repairs and will charge a toll for the service.”

Given the unique geological conditions of the two highways, Noboa said a concession agreement is the “logical step” for keeping the roads open. “We have completed the initial stage of discussions and a concession agreement has already been signed,” he said, but did not provide the name of the contractor.

“Our objective is to have first-level highways that are open year-round, and not subject to the closures that disrupt the plans of motorists and commercial transport services,” Noboa said. “These routes are essential for connecting Cuenca to the coast.”

Noboa did not say when the contractor will begin its service or explain how the new arrangement will coordinate with studies currently underway to re-route the Cuenca-Molleturo-Guayaquil highway.

Noboa announced the highway concessions during a two-day visit to Cuenca that concluded Wednesday.