The first day of the long weekend already presents important congestions. On the Fray Bentos bridge there are delays of several hours.
International bridges to cross from Uruguay toward Argentina they encounter heavy traffic congestion due to the number of vehicles trying to cross the border with the beginning of the long weekend, and motivated by the exchange difference with the neighboring country, which makes it cheaper than usual.
The first rows could already be seen since yesterday, although the bulk of the traffic was expected for today, from mid-morning. And so it happened: the Highway Police warned about “traffic congestion to cross to Argentina”, especially in the General San Martin Bridge.
In this sense, the pass that joins the Argentine city of Gualeguaychu with Fray Bentos It came to register rows of 8.5 kilometers, and an estimated wait of 7 hours to make the crossing. On the other hand, in the Paysandú —General Artigas— there were 4 kilometers of waiting; and in the of big jump, just 300 meters.
According to the national director of border crossings, Milton Machado, the lines and congestion could last until mid-afternoon, according to what happened on previous occasions.
Among the official recommendations are leaving with time and patience due to traffic delays, as well as having food supplies and staying well hydrated throughout the trip.
There were also tense moments between the stopped motorists.
The exchange difference, key to the decision to cross to Argentina
The price gap between the two countries is close to 200% if one compares the difference between the blue dollar in Argentina and the exchange rate in Uruguay, so it is a temptation for Uruguayans who decide to cross the border.
If it is taken by products, the greatest price difference occurs in the Miscellaneous Goods category (which includes the hygiene basket), where it reaches 233%; followed by Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, with 209%; Household Products, with 179%; and Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, with 123%, according to a survey of the Catholic University of Uruguay (UCU). For this reason, it is important that Uruguayans who travel know how to complete the affidavits to avoid problems.
It is worth remembering that Uruguayan purchases in Argentina have a full impact on domestic consumption. A study by the consulting firm Exante even specified that the exchange difference will take half the cost, expected in the order of 3%.
Source: Ambito
