The public works ministry has extended to 11th August, 2004 the deadline to submit technical and economic offers for the Americo Vespucio-El Salto-Kennedy expressway's 30-year concession. The economic offers will be opened on 11th September. The USD70 million project entails building a 4.1 km expressway serving Santiago's northern and northeastern suburbs. It will connect the Americo Vespucio beltway in the sector of El Salto in Huenchuraba municipality in the north of the capital with the municipalities of Providencia and Las Condes at El Cerro and Kennedy avenues, respectively. Works will include cutting two 1.1 km parallel tunnels through San Cristí³bal hill.The nine candidates who bought the tender documents are Impregilo; Dragados / Hochtief; OHL's Infraestructura 2000; Marubeni Chile; Bouygues TP; Sacyr Vallehermoso through its concession arm Itinere; Sociedad Ibérica de Construcciones Eléctricas (SICE); Gestadora de Patrimonio; Besalco; and Necso. Building, it is estimated, will begin in June 2005 for opening in 2007. Visit www.concesioneschile.cl and www.moptt.cl 29/04.The public works ministry has awarded consortium San Cristobal Express, including ACS Dragados and Hochtief, the El Salto-Kennedy urban expressway concession. The USD70 million, 4 km project entails building an expressway to connect the Americo Vespucio beltway in the sector of El Salto in the north of Santiago with the municipalities of Providencia and Las Condes at El Cerro and Kennedy avenues, respectively. Works will include a 1.9 km twin tunnel through San Cristobal hill. The concession will run for 32 years. Construction to start in first half of 2005. Visit www.moptt.cl, www.dragados.com and www.hochtief.de 39/04.Indra has been awarded a contract to implement its traffic management, toll and tunnel control systems in the Nororiente highway and in the San Cristobal tunnel in the capital, Santiago de Chile. The Nororiente highway will offer an access/exit for vehicles to and from the north of Chile to alleviate traffic congestion in Ruta 5 Norte and in the Americo Vespucio avenue. The San Cristobal tunnel will substantially improve connections between north and south of Santiago, linking Huechuraba, an industrial and business area in economical growth and Providencia, located in the city centre. Visit www.indra.es and www.tunelsancristobal.cl 07/08.