Spanish concessions company OHL Concesiones submitted the lowest bid for the international tender to build and operate the Industrial bridge concession in Chile's southern region VIII.

Besalco Concesiones - Concesiones Viarias Chile Tres S.A. (ACS Group), and Sacyr Concesiones Chile S.A. also bid for the 2.5km long bridge in Biobío region. However, OHL's economic proposal of a subsidy of 0.63% beat those of competitors.

MOP expects to award the Puente Industrial construction contract in the first half of 2014. It will be Chile's second longest bridge and should be inaugurated in 2017.

The bridge will go across the Biobío river and connect the Hualpén and San Pedro de la Paz municipalities. Work involves construction of a 2.5km, four-lane bridge, as well as access roads and roads to connect the bridge with Ruta 160 highway, for a total of 6.5km of work.

The project also entails construction of a train overpass, drainage, pedestrian and bicycle lanes, lighting and safety features. The bridge will have a free-flow toll system similar to this used in other concessions in the city of Santiago.

The 30-year concession has an estimated investment of  US$210 million.

Construction is scheduled to start during the first semester of 2014 and start of operations will happen in early 2017.