Mexico's transport and communications ministry (STC) has launched a tender process for the Tuxpan-Tampico highway concession in Veracruz state.

The project involves the construction, operation and maintenance of the road for a period of 30 years. The total investment is estimated at P6.3 billion (US$475 million).

A pre-bid meeting is scheduled on 7 July this year. Interested parties must submit their proposals on or before 24 July. The project is planned to be awarded in August while the construction works are expected to start before 3 December. The project will be operational by the end of 2017.

The project, which aims to improve road connections between central Mexico and northeast states, is part of the 2013-2015 Infrastructure Investment Program.

In July 2013, Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht submitted an unsolicited proposal for the project to the 'Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT)' after the approval of the new Public Private Partnership (PPP) law that allows unsolicited proposals.

The new road will start from the junction with the Tihuatlán-Tuxpan highway and will end at the connection with the Tuxpan-Tampico federal highway in Tamaulipas. Works includes building  a 159km highway, with a cross section of 12m wide, considering two traffic lanes of 3.5 meters each one and road shoulders of 2.5 meters. The project also includes five bypass junctions and 60 structures.