Colombia completes Toyo Tunnel excavation and advances Soacha TransMilenio upgrades

The 9.73‑kilometre Guillermo Gaviria Echeverri "Toyo" Tunnel in Antioquia has reached the final breakthrough, joining the two excavation fronts. The project, employing over 2,000 workers and backed by regional and national authorities, is set to shorten travel between Medellín and the Urabá coast from about seven hours to roughly 4.5 hours. With tunnelling completed, the next phase will install ventilation, lighting, communication and pavement systems before the tunnel opens to traffic.

In Soacha, the extension of the TransMilenio bus rapid‑transit corridor has reached about 75 % completion. Works include a 70‑metre “depresión” underpass at the 3M sector and a new 430‑metre bridge on Calle 22, both designed to eliminate signal‑controlled intersections on the Autopista Sur. Officials say the improvements will benefit more than 400,000 daily commuters between Soacha and Bogotá by reducing congestion and travel time, alongside ancillary works such as tree planting and LED lighting.