Abertis Strengthens Presence in Chile with New Ruta 5 Santiago-Los Vilos Concession

Abertis Strengthens Presence in Chile with New Ruta 5 Santiago-Los Vilos Concession

(IN BRIEF) Abertis has won the concession for the Ruta 5 Santiago-Los Vilos motorway in Chile, extending its presence in the country and solidifying its position as a leading toll road operator. Starting in April 2025, Abertis’ subsidiary VíasChile will manage the 223 km route, investing €1,000 million in upgrades over the next seven years. This expansion aligns with Abertis’ strategy to grow its portfolio and enhance operational efficiency in key markets.

(PRESS RELEASE) MADRID, 16-Aug-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Abertis, a global leader in toll road management, has successfully secured the concession for the Ruta 5 Santiago-Los Vilos motorway in Chile, further expanding its footprint in one of its key markets. The 223 km-long motorway, which connects Santiago to the coastal city of Los Vilos, is a critical infrastructure link, enhancing connectivity between two regions that generate over half of Chile’s GDP.

The concession, awarded through a competitive tender process organized by the Chilean Ministry of Public Works (MOP), will see Abertis’ local subsidiary, VíasChile, take over operations and toll collection starting in April 2025. This milestone marks a significant step in Abertis’ strategic growth in Latin America, where it will now manage over 600 km of toll roads in Chile.

Abertis’ CEO José Aljaro stressed that “this key operation is going to let us consolidate our position in Chile, one of the most important countries where we are going to manage more than 600 km of toll roads, providing the Group with stability and demonstrating our capacity to continue growing, while maintaining a balanced portfolio”.

As part of the concession, VíasChile will invest approximately €1,000 million over the next seven years to expand the motorway’s capacity and introduce advanced technology systems, including free-flow tolling. These improvements aim to optimize traffic flow, reduce travel times, and enhance safety for the estimated 800,000 people who rely on this key route.

The Ruta 5 motorway is a vital connection between the Metropolitan, Valparaíso, and Coquimbo regions, supporting both the industrial mining sector in the north and the tourism industry in Los Vilos. The road’s strategic importance is further highlighted by its robust traffic growth, which saw a 3.5% increase between 2019 and 2023, and a tariff structure designed to protect against inflation.

Abertis’ expansion in Chile is part of a broader growth strategy initiated last year, following a new governance agreement between its shareholders, ACS and Mundys. This latest concession will contribute to the company’s ongoing efforts to diversify its portfolio and ensure stable cash flow across its global operations.

VíasChile, with over a decade of experience in Chile, is well-positioned to manage this new concession. The company already operates the Autopista Central and the Autopista Los Andes, making Ruta 5 a natural extension of its existing network. The integration of this new asset is expected to generate significant operational synergies, particularly in areas such as maintenance, management, and supervision.

With this new concession, Abertis continues to demonstrate its commitment to delivering high-quality infrastructure solutions that support economic growth and improve connectivity in key markets around the world.

Media Contact:

email: pdd@grupoacs.com

SOURCE: Actividades de Construcción y Servicios (ACS)