Route 5 North operates with restricted hours between Coquimbo and Atacama

The National Confederation of Truck Owners of Chile (CNDC) reported that traffic on Route 5 North, between the regions of Coquimbo and Atacama, operates under restricted hours on Friday, July 24, and with police protection to ensure the safe movement of all types of vehicles.

According to details provided by the Ruta del Algarrobo concessionaire, circulation in the south to north direction (from La Serena to Copiapó) is authorized between 08:00 and 14:00, under police escort by Carabineros de Chile.

Meanwhile, traffic in the north to south direction (from Copiapó to La Serena) will remain open during the time slot between 16:00 and 20:00. Outside these time ranges, the road remains completely closed to vehicular traffic.

The contingency plan includes the presence of control points managed by Carabineros in various sections of both regions to regulate the flow on the road. These measures have allowed for the intermittent reopening of sections that suffered interruptions.

In this regard, the General Director of Public Works, Joaquín Dagá, who visited the works on the section between Vallenar and Copiapó, indicated that "we already have intermittent traffic in the two previously cut sections, which has allowed the movement from south to north through convoys of 100 trucks."

"There is a greater amount of machinery, and we are working daily with Concessions, Carabineros, and the Army to review the situation of this route daily, prioritizing all supply demands," he added.

For his part, the regional governor of Atacama, Miguel Vargas, highlighted that "we are working in coordination to face this emergency. Emergency tasks demand multiple actions, and coordination is fundamental to restore connectivity in all affected areas of the region. Restoring connectivity throughout the region is the number one task, and assisting people who are still isolated."

Meanwhile, the presidential delegate of the Atacama Region, Sofía Cid, stated that "one of the major emergencies we have had has been connectivity. At the regional level, we are working strongly with the regional secretary of Public Works, who has been deployed in the Huasco province and also in the Copiapó province, especially in the areas of Tierra Amarilla and Totoral. It has been a very important job, with the support of the Regional Government; in the Committee for Disaster Risk Management, additional emergency resources have even been approved, which are being used for this."

Regarding connectivity, in the case of the Atacama Region, it continues in the post-frontal system recovery phase. Emergency crews from the Road Directorate are deployed in the affected areas. To date, 17 regional routes remain interrupted and 24 active ravines, concentrated in the Huasco province.

Among the main solutions, the opening of traffic on the Maitencillo Bridge stands out, located at km 14 of Route C-46, the main connection route between the municipalities of Vallenar, Huasco, and Freirina.

Meanwhile, in the Coquimbo Region, teams from the Road Directorate are working to restore connectivity in the most affected areas, considering that a total of 131 points have traffic interruptions, which are being progressively resolved.