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The Legislative Assembly approved, with 59 votes, two amendments to the 2026 Budget Law to allocate a total of US$10 million to the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y de Transporte (MOPT). Of these funds, US$9.8 million will be allocated to begin preliminary work to improve more than 26 kilometers of road in La Unión and Chalatenango, while US$200,000 will cover operating expenses for a flood control project in the Área Metropolitana de San Salvador (AMSS).
The US$9.8 million comes from a US$100 million loan granted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and approved in december 2022 to finance the Rural Roads Program. The budget allocation will enable progress on the initial activities of two road projects aimed at improving connectivity and traffic conditions in communities across both departments.
Road projects to improve rural connectivity
In La Unión, the project covers 16.45 kilometers between the El Nance, Barrancones, and Piedras Blancas turnoffs in the district of Pasaquina. As Congressman William Soriano explained during the legislative debate, the project is in response to a request made by residents to President Nayib Bukele in 2019. The legislator emphasized that the road will benefit communities such as Los Mangos, El Cahuite, El Cortesal, Agua Agria, El Zapatero, and El Amate, among others.
The project includes a two-lane road with hydraulic concrete pavement, drainage systems, a bridge over the San Felipe River, retaining walls, and road signage. These works are aimed at improving safety and facilitating traffic flow in an area where road infrastructure is crucial for residents’ mobility and their economic activities.
The second project will cover 9.72 kilometers in Chalatenango, with work on the route between the Los Planes canton and Miramundo, as well as the section connecting Miramundo with the hamlet of Río Chiquito, in the districts of La Palma and San Ignacio. As in La Unión, plans call for the construction of a two-lane road made of hydraulic concrete, including drainage systems, protective structures, and signage, along with environmental and social measures related to the project’s implementation.
The allocated funds will finance preliminary activities, including site cleanup and preparation, excavation, and grading. They will also cover advance payments, construction estimates, and supervision services as the project progresses. These tasks constitute an initial phase to prepare the sites and carry out the planned work on both road corridors.
$200,000 for the flood control project
During the same plenary session, lawmakers approved an additional $200,000 to cover the administrative and operational expenses of the implementing unit for the Flood Control Support Project at the AMSS. The funds come from a US$150 million loan from the IDB, approved in April 2026, and will be used to finance planning and coordination, hire specialized staff, purchase furniture and computer equipment, rent office space, and pay for basic utilities.
The project involves building, rehabilitating, and maintaining infrastructure to reduce flood risks, including flood control ponds, sustainable drainage systems, culverts, and water crossings. It also includes monitoring, evaluation, and audit activities to oversee the progress of the construction work. With these two budget amendments, the MOPT will have the resources to move forward with preparations for rural road projects and to support the administrative management of flood control initiatives in the metropolitan area.
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