Chile opens Castro bypass to ease traffic on Chiloé

The Chilean Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications inaugurated the Castro bypass on Thursday, 30 July, with Minister Louis de Grange attending the ceremony. The 16‑kilometre variant of Route 5, running between Llau‑Llao and Alcaldía de Rauco near the town of Castro in the Chiloé archipelago, is intended to divert about 500 heavy‑truck trips daily from the provincial capital’s urban centre and improve south‑bound connectivity.

The project, launched in 2015 and delayed many times, reached 97.7% physical progress this month. The contract deadline is 29 July 2026, prompting a push to open the road before the contractual limit. Local officials, including Castro mayor Baltazar Elgueta and community leader Yasna Villegas, expressed concerns over remaining safety issues but welcomed the opening as a long‑awaited solution to chronic congestion.

The bypass, built by the Icafal‑Sicomaq consortium, is expected to reduce traffic jams in central Castro and surrounding arterial routes, benefitting both residents and the region’s transport network.