President Daniel Noboa has announced the start of a process to reconstruct 101.6 kilometers of the Montecristi-Jipijapa-La Cadena highway in Manabi province, a road that carries between 8,700 and 9,000 vehicles daily and serves as one of the main commercial links between Manabi and Guayas.
The project will require an investment of $18.9 million, financed through the Ministry of Transport and Public Works using funds from the Manabi Reconstruction and Reactivation Fund.
What the work will cover
The reconstruction will run the full length of the corridor, from the Y de Montecristi junction to La Cadena at the provincial border with Guayas. It will also include the La Pila-Cerro Guayabal sub-section, an area that has experienced recurring landslides.
The Ministry of Transport and Public Works said the intervention goes beyond resurfacing. Work will include a full overhaul of the drainage system, structural repairs at seven critical points along the route, repaving of the most deteriorated sections, patching works where needed, and the complete replacement of horizontal and vertical road markings.
Officials said neglect of culverts, ditches and hydraulic structures over the past decade accelerated the road's decline, making drainage work the priority phase for extending the life of the new asphalt layer.
Seven critical points targeted
Among the seven critical points identified is a sector near the entrance to Pajon, where one lane has suffered subsidence affecting traffic for several years. Zonal 4 Deputy Secretary of Transport Gerardo Giler said geotechnical studies determined the cause of the damage and defined permanent solutions to prevent the failures from recurring. The project also includes repairs to wing walls, box culverts and other deteriorated structures.
The road has been divided into six segments, each assigned a different level of intervention based on its condition. The stretch between Montecristi and Jipijapa will require the most intensive work, with roughly 30 kilometers in severe deterioration set for near-total reconstruction.
Timeline and contract award
Giler said the public tender has been published on the government procurement portal since July 13, with bids received on July 28. The technical committee issued its intended award on July 29. Under regulations, a three-day period is allowed for objections, meaning a final resolution could be issued on August 4 if no challenges are filed.
Once the contract is awarded, the winning firm must submit the legally required guarantees before signing. A company will have 15 days to do so, while a consortium may have up to 30 days.
With that schedule, the ministry expects work to begin between late August and the first weeks of September. The reconstruction is set to run for 18 months.
