Original article: «Marcará un antes y un después en la conectividad austral de Chile»: Presidente Boric visitó avance de obras en ruta Vicuña–Yendegaia

President Boric’s Visit Marks a Milestone in Southern Chile’s Connectivity: Vicuña-Yendegaia Route Progress

The President of the Republic, Gabriel Boric, arrived in Cabo de Hornos, the southernmost municipality of Chile, to lead the ceremony marking the completion of works on Stage 10 of the Vicuña-Yendegaia Route.

Under construction since 1994, this route aims to establish land connectivity between the cities of Punta Arenas and Puerto Williams, which currently only have air or maritime connections. The latter option involves a journey that exceeds 30 hours.

The completion of the Vicuña-Yendegaia Route, carried out by the Military Labor Corps (CMT), will reduce travel time between these locations by approximately 12 hours, lower freight and passenger transportation costs, enhance the tourism potential of Patagonia, and strengthen national sovereignty in these territories.

Specifically, the works consist of a bimodal road designed for land and maritime transport, featuring two maritime crossings: one by barge in Punta Delgada to enter Tierra del Fuego from the mainland, and the other between Caleta 2 de Mayo and Puerto Navarino, lasting about 2 hours. A barge named «Aunashaka» (meaning «ona’s channel» in the Yagán language) was constructed for this route and has been operational since 2018.

“We will connect Punta Arenas with Puerto Williams through a bimodal approach that spans across various governments and presidents, because major state projects are like that. Just like the Carretera Austral, the Canal de Chacao, the Pan-American Highway, and now the Vicuña-Yendegaia route,” declared President Boric.

“We are here not just in front of the construction of a road, but rather in an act of sovereignty and the presence of the state in the southernmost region of the world,” emphasized the Chilean leader.

What’s next? President Boric details, “We have three phases left to be carried out simultaneously from the north and south, covering 29 kilometers to reach our goal.”

The Vicuña-Yendegaia route will be remembered in our history as one of the great infrastructure projects in Chile, where the Army and the state, through the Ministry of Public Works and Roadways, have played a truly invaluable role. An example of what we can achieve when we unite as a country,” Boric noted.

Regarding the route’s characteristics, which is scheduled for completion in 2031 with 29 kilometers yet to be executed, its high mountain road includes return curves to navigate the tall peaks encountered along its route.

Additionally, much of the path is carved into rock, with cuts exceeding 15 meters in height, surrounding lakes, crossing plains and native forests, braving streams and rivers, and ascending the central ridge of the Darwin Range, near the D’Agostini ice fields.

The president attended this event alongside the acting governor of the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region, Eugenia Mancilla; the Army Chief Commander, General Javier Iturriaga; the provincial presidential delegate, Constanza Calisto; and the mayor of Cabo de Hornos, Patricio Fernández.

El Ciudadano