The Ministry of Public Works of El Salvador (MOP) and the Secretariat of Central American Economic Integration (Sieca) have announced the Regional Mobility and Logistics Master Plan 2035.

The master plan involves six countries in Central America * and the total cost is expected to exceed $52 billion. In El Salvador, a total of 86 projects with investment requirements of more than $10 billion are planned, of which $1.827 billion will be dedicated to the restoration of rail services that have been stalled since the armed conflict.

El Salvador plans to invest $700 million to build its first modern railway to improve transportation within the country and with neighboring countries. The 103-kilometer line will run from the Pacific coast port of Acajutla to the city of Sonsonate and the capital, SAN Salvador.

Romeo Rodriguez, El Salvador's Minister of Public Works, said most of the investment would go toward building a rail network connecting Central America and Mexico. This includes the construction of the Pacific Train and monorail in the SAN Salvador Metropolitan Area (AMSS). Last July, El Salvador's Economy ministry asked the European Bank for $450 million to start these projects.

The final design is currently being finalized and the first section from Sonsonate to Akajutra has already been designed. The project will eventually interconnect with rail lines in Guatemala and the Maya Project in Mexico, creating a rail corridor that begins in Canada and runs through the United States.

Current situation of transportation development in Central America

The total length of roads in Central America is more than 148,000 km, of which 6,525 km are Central American highways (CA) and 256.5 km are operational rail lines; The Caribbean Sea coastline is 2,100 km long and has 19 ports; The Pacific coast has 2,900 km of coastline and 21 ports; There is also an interoceanic canal in the area; 24 border crossings; 21 international airports and two air hubs.

Road transport is the main mode of movement of goods and people in the region. The 2,187 km of road from Tecun Uman border post on the Guatemala-Mexico border to Panama City is classified as the Central American Road, forming a transport corridor along the Pacific Ocean, connecting major cargo ports and major international airports on the Pacific coast.

El Salvador 2035 Project plan

In El Salvador, $5.8 billion is planned for road infrastructure, $632 million for port transport and $2.113 billion for airport services. The specific areas and budgets involved are shown in the figure below.

The master plan was developed for El Salvador in cooperation with five Japanese companies and was approved by 18 government departments. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide funding and will send a regional adviser to oversee the implementation of the plan. Between 2023 and 2025, JICA will train 42 technicians in the region and collaborate with other entities to provide financial support.

Minister Rodriguez also announced that the World Bank (WB), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) have joined forces to support the strategy. The World Bank has approved $150 million for the Apopa Bypass project. Editor/Xu Shengpeng