Columnist Leonardo Medina Patiño argues that the Colombian state relies on the private sector for road development but criticizes the lack of reinvestment in maintaining concessioned highways. He points to issues like long lines at tolls, minimum charges of 13,000 pesos, and shortcomings in lighting and markings that compromise safety. He urges greater oversight and for legislators to tackle these shortcomings.
In his column published on February 6, 2026, in Occidente.co, Leonardo Medina Patiño highlights the need for state-private sector partnerships to advance road development, similar to those in health and education. He notes that this collaboration has been regulated since Law 80 of 1993 and Public-Private Alliances (APP), with road concessions serving as a key example that drives investment in departments.
However, Medina Patiño stresses the urgency of reviewing the maintenance of these roads. He points out that tolls, which operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to recover long-term investment, do not always reinvest adequately. At some points, impressive lines form where each vehicle pays at least 13,000 pesos; on holidays, they hire auxiliaries to manage congestion, but the benefits are not evident in highway preservation.
Identified issues include lack of lighting, poor demarcation, potholes, and others that endanger road safety. The author anticipates excuses such as it not being stipulated in the contract, it being a national government's responsibility, or concessionaires not yet having recovered their investment per financial projections. These disputes impact drivers, tourists, transporters, and the country's image.
Medina Patiño concludes that it is pertinent to demand better roads and for investors to assume maintenance responsibilities, assigning the next legislative representatives a key task in this debate.
