Route 24 (Chile)
Route 24 | |
|---|---|
| Ruta 24 (Spanish) | |
| Route information | |
| Length | 154.9 km (96.3 mi) |
| Major junctions | |
| From | Tocopilla, Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile |
| East end | Calama, El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile |
| Location | |
| Country | Chile |
| Highway system | |
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The Route 24 (Spanish: Ruta 24), officially known as 24-CH, is a primary road that connects several sections of the Antofagasta Region in Northern Chile. The route serves the function of connecting the mining areas around Calama with the ports of the region.
History
This has been the main route to connect Chuquicamata, which experienced a population growth after the mining activity, to the port of Tocopilla.[1] The road crosses the mountainous area of the province of Tocopilla, specifically between Cerro Buena Vista and Cerro Minerales, this has led to certain problems in the transit of the road due to landslides caused by geological faults, mainly between Km 51 and 62.[2]
Route 24 has also been used for regional downhill tournaments for Antofagasta, specifically in the sections that connect Chuquicamata.[3]
The strong earthquakes that occurred in the northern regions of Chile in mid 2024 affected the road system of Antofagasta, including Route 24 specifically in the sections around the town of Montecristo.[4]
In August 2024, the Ministry of Public Works as well as the Regional Government of Antofagasta announced the investment of about 85 million Chilean pesos for maintenance and repair works on Route 24, the project is expected to last from 2025 to 2028 and is intended to improve the condition of the roads between the areas around Colupo, Barriles, Montecristo and Chuquicamata.[5]
Route
Tocopilla Province
The route begins in Tocopilla, specifically at the intersection of National Route 1. Afterwards, the road heads east until it reaches the Quebrada de Barriles. Afterwards, Route 24 crosses the mountainous area of the province until it reaches the Barriles Aerodrome.[6] Then the route heads southeast until it reaches the limits of the town of María Elena.
Route 24 then crosses the Posada Bridge over the Loa River and heads east until it reaches Monte Negro.
El Loa Province
Route 24 heads into this province through the mountainous area specifically around Cerro Piedra Grande and Cerro Montecristo until it reaches the limits of Chuquicamata. The route had been affected by the earthquakes that partially affected the city of Calama in mid 2022.[7]
Subsequently, the route goes much further south crossing several mining areas destined for copper extraction until reaching the urban center of Calama.
References
- ^ Geografía de Chile (in Spanish). Instituto Geográfico Militar. 1990. p. 124. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ^ "Evaluación de riesgo geológico en Rutas 1 y 24 de la Provincia de Tocopilla" (PDF). SERNAGEOMI (in Spanish). 2014. p. 26.
En general, el sector de la ruta 24 comprendido entre el km 57 y Tocopilla, tiene bermas muy estrechas, con taludes que, en algunos casos, se ubican a solo 0,8 m de la pista vehicular.
- ^ "El Downhill se disputa en la ruta 24 camino a Chuquicamata". SoyChile (in Spanish). 2014-10-05. Retrieved 2024-09-15.
- ^ Castillo, Constanza (2024-07-19). "MOP informa normalidad en rutas de la Región de Antofagasta tras fuerte sismo". Termometro.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ^ Olortegui, Adriana (2024-08-02). "Chile: Anuncian inversión de CLP$ 85 mil millones en obras de la Ruta 24". Perú Construye (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ^ "Finaliza Construcción de Tercera Pista en Ruta24, Sector Cuesta Barriles". Region2.cl (in Spanish). 2016-12-09. Retrieved 2024-09-15.
Respecto a esta última, la autoridad señaló que fueron 20 kilómetros entre el acceso urbano de Tocopilla y el aeródromo Barriles (Camino a María Elena), con una inversión superior a los 12 mil millones de pesos
- ^ "Delegado presidencial tras sismo: 'No hay infraestructura afectada'". Noticias Calama en Línea (in Spanish). 2022-07-27. Retrieved 2024-09-15.
Hubo desprendimiento de tierra a la altura del kilómetro 62 de la ruta 24CH (Calama-Tocopilla), pero las empresas contratistas ya realizan las maniobras de despeje".