Apertura del Puente Virgen de Chapi - AREQUIPA - LA JOYA 2026

Opening of the Virgen de Chapi Bridge - AREQUIPA - LA JOYA 2026 It went from being a promise to a reality. With the presence of the President of the Republic, José María Balcázar Zelada, the Regional Governor of Arequipa, Rohel Sánchez Sánchez, inaugurated the "Virgen de Chapi" bridge this Monday. This bridge is the main component of the Arequipa-La Joya highway, considered the most important road infrastructure project in southern Peru. With the opening of this modern infrastructure, a project that remained unfinished for nearly nine years due to technical, administrative, and contractual problems has been completed. After terminating the contract with the previous consortium, the Regional Government was able to unblock the project through management, financing, and technical supervision, allowing the remaining work to be completed and the bridge to be opened to the public. The Virgen de Chapi bridge is 371 meters long and has a 175-meter steel arch. It stands out for its earthquake-resistant design and for having been built using a tilting system, a technology considered pioneering in Latin America. Its operation will improve the connection between the Pan-American Highway South and the main industrial, mining, and agricultural zones of Arequipa, reducing transportation times and costs, strengthening road safety, and optimizing the movement of people and goods. It will also help alleviate heavy traffic congestion that currently circulates on various urban roads, strengthening the logistics and commercial corridor in southern Peru. The bridge's construction required an investment of 171 million soles. As part of the comprehensive project, the Regional Government also inaugurated the seven-kilometer-long Nueva Molina road, which connects the bridge to the Pan-American Highway South. This project required an investment of 47 million soles and will provide accessibility and continuous traffic flow to the new infrastructure. Additionally, optimization and rehabilitation work was carried out on the section between Avenida Ferrocarril and the Virgen de Chapi Bridge, including improvements to the pavement, drainage, signage, and road safety systems. During the ceremony, Governor Rohel Sánchez announced that this 15-kilometer section will undergo a comprehensive overhaul through the Public Works for Taxes program. This project includes the construction of pedestrian bridges, shoulders, new signage, and other road safety improvements. The regional authority also reported that the two remaining components of the Arequipa–La Joya highway are progressing well. The twin tunnels will be built by the Regional Government through the Public Works for Taxes program, with an investment of 113 million soles, and construction is scheduled to begin on July 20. Meanwhile, the road section toward La Joya will be built by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, also under the Public Works for Taxes program, with an investment of 408 million soles. The bidding process has been completed, and the signing of the agreement with the winning consortium is scheduled for July 24. The inauguration of the Virgen de Chapi Bridge represents a milestone for Peruvian engineering and marks the beginning of a new era for the logistical, economic, and productive development of Arequipa and southern Peru. Once all components of the Arequipa–La Joya highway are completed, this strategic road corridor will strengthen regional competitiveness and enhance integration with key national and international markets.