Great news for road travelers! A regional highway now connects Chincha and Pisco. Excellent news for frequent land travelers, transport companies, and vacationers alike.
The construction of this highway required millions of soles and overcame countless obstacles, interference, and setbacks—but it will save millions of travelers something priceless: time.
The Chincha–Pisco Highway will save both national and international tourists up to an hour on their journey, while also reducing fuel costs thanks to the improved route.
Spanning 34.8 kilometers, the new highway forms part of Route 6. Along its length, four bridges complete the route: Río Chico, Quebrada Tambo de Mora, Pisco, and the somewhat unfortunately named Matagente (“People Killer”).
There is also a road interchange in Chincha Alta and four grade-separated crossings: Puquio Santo, San Clemente, Sunampe, and Tambo de Mora.
“Mission accomplished!” declared Peru’s Minister of Transport and Communications, Martín Vizcarra. “As promised in August, at the start of the new administration, the Chincha–Pisco Highway officially opened on Thursday, December 23—a long-awaited project for the people of Ica and the entire southern region,” he announced the following day.
Vision, perseverance, and sheer will from a large and determined team made this project possible.
As mentioned, the construction faced serious challenges, legal disputes, and delays that threatened its completion.
As recently as July of the previous year, 20% of the work remained, due to unresolved issues such as land ownership conflicts, natural obstacles, and terrain complications.
A well-known news outlet inspected the site and reported at least four disrupted sections along the highway. In Tambo de Mora, homes sat directly in the planned construction path.
In San Clemente, two oxidation ponds created major headaches for engineers.
But the biggest challenges arose in San Andrés, Pisco, where mechanic workshops and small gardens obstructed progress.
“As of July 22, 2016, we still hadn’t received the remaining 19% of land. If the Ministry of Transport gave us the land by August, we could finish by January 2017,” said Walter Sánchez, General Manager of Covi-Perú.
Thankfully, his prediction was proven wrong—for the better. The project was completed by late December, despite years of earlier failed completion promises.
According to the Ministry of Transport, this highway will benefit multiple regions, not just travelers heading to Ica and Pisco. It will also improve access to Cusco, Puno, Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, and Ayacucho.
However, not everyone is celebrating. The project negatively affected urban areas in Chincha, as the main route that brought life and prosperity to the city was redirected.
This sparked unrest among Chincha residents, prompting local authorities to step in and address their concerns.
Every action has a reaction—and resolving those reactions is the duty of those in charge. Still, this project is undeniably a success for Peru, and will make your next trip through the region all the more enjoyable.
