Antioquia and Medellín complete Túnel 0 breakthrough in Toyo tunnel project

The Túnel 0 breakthrough marks a milestone in the Túnel del Toyo megaproject, connecting Medellín with the Urabá region. The 995-meter tunnel, built at a cost of about $120 billion COP, is the first of 18 tunnels on the Vía al Mar corridor.

What happened

On June 30, 2026, the two excavation fronts of Túnel 0 met in Santa Fe de Antioquia, completing the tunnel's excavation. Work began in January 2025, with excavation starting in August 2025. The tunnel features a 438-meter emergency gallery and an average daily advance of 3 meters Source: eltiempoco.

Regional leadership

The project was stalled after the national government under President Gustavo Petro withdrew funding. The Gobernación de Antioquia and Alcaldía de Medellín took over, investing $856 billion COP in the second segment. Governor Andrés Julián Rendón and Mayor Federico Gutiérrez emphasized regional autonomy. Gutiérrez stated: "Hoy se encontraron los dos frentes de excavación... y la convicción de una región que nunca se rindió" Source: eltiempoco. Rendón criticized Petro for abandoning the project Source: elcolombiano.

Key figures and next steps

• Total investment in the megaproject: $5.1 trillion COP Source: eltiempoco.
• Segment 1 (Giraldo–Cañasgordas) is 100% complete Source: elcolombiano.
• Segment 2, ceded by the national government at 54% progress, is now at 80% Source: eltiempoco.