With a strong impulse to private participation in road infrastructure, the Government formalized the call for national and international public tender to concession the “MERCOSUR ROUTE”a key path that crosses the Argentine coast and connects with Brazil and Uruguay. The measure, published on Tuesday in the Official Gazette through Resolution 29/2025 of the Ministry of Economy, summons national and international companies to present offers before August 5 of this year.
The initiative is part of the Federal Concessions Network – Stage 1 and is part of the administrative reorganization plan contemplated in the recent Base Law and in Decree 28/2025, which establishes the call for bidding of national routes within a maximum period of 12 months. The project includes two great sections: the so -called “oriental” and the “connection” section.
What routes includes the “Mercosur Route”
The oriental section involves key national routes that cross Entre Ríos and Corrientes and that link three international steps: the General Artigas Bridge (Colón-Paysandú), the Salto Grande dam (Concordia-Salto) and the Paso de los Libres bridge (Corrientes-Uruguayana).
The routes included in this part of the project are:
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RN 12: Zárate (Buenos Aires) – Gualeguay (Entre Ríos), 144 km.
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RN 14: Ceibas (Entre Ríos) – Paso de los Libres (Corrientes), 497 km.
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RN 135: Colón – Puente Artigas, 12.9 km.
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RN A015: Concordia – Salto Grande dam, 14.6 km.
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RN 117: Paso de los Libres – International Bridge to Brazil, 12.8 km.
On the other hand, the connection section includes the RN 174that unites Rosario (Santa Fe) with Victoria (Entre Ríos) through the Rosario-Victoria bridge, covering 59 km, considered strategic for the logistics of the center of the country.
How will the concession model be
The exploitation model will be under the regime of Public work by tollallowing dealers to administer, expand, maintain and exploit the routes, in addition to providing services to the user and develop complementary activities to generate extra income.
The previous concession, in charge of roads of the Uruguay SA River, beat last April, so the Executive advanced with the new tender after conducting public audiences in Gualeguaychú and Victoria in February. The National Road Directorate has already approved the corresponding reports.
The specifications and conditions can be consulted in the portal HIREand the offers will be evaluated by a commission composed of officials of the Ministry of Economy and Transportation.
A key work for regional trade
The “Mercosur Route” is not only vital for the road connection of the provinces of the coast, but also for the land trade between Argentina, Brazil and Uruguaythe three countries that connect directly. According to the official document, the corridor will have a central role in strengthening the regional bloc and the competitiveness of foreign trade.
With this tender, the Government seeks to reactivate private investments in infrastructure and advance in the process of Privatization of road corridorswhile encouraging international competition to obtain better contractual and operational conditions.
Source: Ambito
