The minister of Transportation and Public Works (MTOP), José Luis Faleromet with the mayor of Cannelloni Marcelo Metediera for the tram train project that would link Pinewood and Old City, in Montevideo, to improve mobility in the metropolitan area of Uruguay. When could its implementation begin?
One of the most controversial points of the tram train initiative when it was announced was the claim of the departmental governments involved that they had not been previously consulted about it. Leaving behind that stage of questioning, the MTOP It works with the municipalities, although, according to Metediera, the conversation should have taken place a year ago, when the private initiative arrived.
This happened after the department head met with Minister Falero about the project — the leader will also meet with Mauricio Zunino, who occupies the Municipality of Montevideo during the license of Carolina Cosse.
“What they presented to us right now is what they should have presented last year when they got the private initiative. It only has a very general, very global presentation, as has been known in the press. But it is the starting point, the start, today it is formalized and we are waiting for the Ministry of Transportation define in legal terms whether or not it accepts the private initiative, lifts confidentiality and that allows us to analyze in some greater detail,” Metediera explained at a press conference.
Although deadlines have not yet been set, the work would take at least three years. In any case, Falero clarified days ago that it would not be advisable to start this type of initiative in election year, Therefore, the technical teams work on a project that would remain to be implemented in the next management.
For his part, Metediera insisted on the importance of participation of the municipalities since many issues related to the tram train are departmental matters. As an example, he explained that cannelloni It has data that can contribute to the project, such as the number of people willing to use this transportation service if it works.
The first highway in Uruguay, a project in doubt
Another of the ambitious projects of the MTOP to improve mobility in the metropolitan area is what would be the first highway in Uruguay. However, due to repeated environmental and social questions regarding the route it would take, Minister Falero put on the table the possibility that the initiative could fall as such and end up being a fast track that links Montevideo and Cannelloni.
Despite having been received with great enthusiasm, the project of the first highway in the country is being strongly questioned due to the social and environmental impacts that the route that joins the two departments would imply. This could lead to the construction of an expressway, leaving behind the possibility of a “milestone” in the history of the Uruguay.
“We will possibly end up with a Fast Track. Because the routes that have been proposed to me – for the highway – were ten different ones, one by one they were studied and in all of them there was an impact, either environmental or social. We said that we are not going to do a work that provides a solution but that could generate environmental or social effects,” said the head of the MTOP in dialogue with Arriba Gente from Channel 10.
However, Falero assured that “alternatives have been found on roads that we already have built, where we have found a width of strip that allows us to intervene,” referring to the route 101 and 8.
Source: Ambito
