Cartagena’s mobility network is set for a major upgrade following the announcement of a second viaduct over the Ciénaga de la Virgen, a project aimed at easing congestion on the busy Cartagena–Barranquilla corridor. The news was revealed during the 22nd National Infrastructure Congress in late November.
The new structure, provisionally named the Gran Viaducto del Mar, will run parallel to the existing Viaducto del Gran Manglar, which opened in 2018 and remains Colombia’s longest viaduct at 4.73km. The planned crossing will measure 4.7km in length, rise 7m above the water, and carry two lanes of 3.7m each, enabling two-way traffic on the Vía al Mar for the first time.
Currently, the Gran Manglar viaduct operates as a one-way route toward Barranquilla, forcing return traffic through La Boquilla, a densely populated area where high-speed vehicles mix with local traffic. The second viaduct will allow authorities to reconfigure La Boquilla’s road into a safer urban corridor, reducing accidents and improving quality of life for residents.
The first viaduct, Viaducto del Gran Manglar, was completed in 2018 by the Concesión Costera Cartagena-Barranquilla consortium (including Mario Huertas Cotes, Constructora MECO, Constructora Colpatria, Castro Tcherassi, and DEAL) using a top-down construction method to minimise environmental impact on the mangroves.
The project represents an investment of over around US$1.5 billion and will follow the same environmentally sensitive construction principles as its predecessor.
Detailed design and financing plans are under way, with the project forming part of Cartagena’s 2024-2027 mobility master plan. No official start date has been confirmed, but authorities expect construction to begin within the next two years.
