El Salvador
El Salvador - 2.3 Road Network
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Roads Overview

Intercity Road Network

A network of paved and non paved roads connect the country. The rather good conditions of roads allows for the quick and easy transfer of goods and services from the municipalities to departmental capitals, ports, airports, borders, and regional roads that cross over the country. The execution of studies and projects are carried out through companies contracted by the MOP.  

The Ministry of Public Works (MOP) is responsible for the planning, improvements and construction of the country’s road network. Maintenance of primary roads are carried out by private companies and paid with from the Road Maintenance Fund (FOVIAL). 

Urban Road Network

This network consists of Urban Road Corridors that have high traffic. Urban roads enable connectivity within cities and with the intercity road network in such a way that facilitates economic, trade, educational, industrial and social activities in cities. This network is maintained by FOVIAL and MOP. The execution of studies and projects are carried out through companies contracted by the MOP.
 

El Salvador Road Maps are available in the following Annexes:

Annex VII El Salvador Roads Map (Source FOVIAL)

Annex XX Road Map 2013 FOVIAL 

Annex XXI Road Map detailed

Annex XXII Road Map general information

For more information, please see the following link: 4.1 El Salvador Government Contact List

Road Construction/Maintenance

FOVIAL is responsible for maintenance of the national road network as such, a series of preventive and corrective maintenance activities are carried out every year to avoid sudden deterioration of roads caused by vehicle use and the natural elements like rain.

FOVIAL's main activities include:
• Surface Treatment:

  • Stamps
  • Irrigation of grout asphalt, micro surfacing 
  • Other types of treatments 

• Renewal of the surface:

  • Recycling 
  • Asphalt binder re-installation

• Stabilization bases
• Renewal shoulders
• Construction of drainage longitudinal
• Construction of cross drainage
• Placement signaling horizontal
• Placement signaling Vertical
• Placing Flex Beam
• Clean drainage longitudinal
• Clean drainage transverse

 

 

Distance Matrix

Road Security

Road security in El Salvador is classified as Marginal. 


Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits

There is a weighbridge at Km 2 from Acajutla to San Salvador to control the trucks coming from the Port. 

For more information, please see the following link: Annex XXIII Tabla de pesos y medidas

Road Class and Surface Conditions

Classification

Road Description

Class: Paved principal roads

Intercity roads which support permanent transit and allow access to main urban areas. 

Class: Improved roads

Municipal connections with the network of paved roads. The roads that ensure municipal interconnection. The roads that connect agriculture centers, livestock and cooperatives. 

Class: Summer transit

Are established by law, such as temporary roads, that due to the surface conditions are impassable during the rainy season. 

Class: Urban roads

Urban roads in the main city centers; generally well paved and maintained at an average standard. 

Class: Foot Print roads

These are roads that can be accessed only on foot or using animal traction.

 

Road Inventory

Classification

Administering Agency

Network Length

Paved principal road

MOP-Fovial

   3,247  km

Unpaved road

MOP-Fovial

   3,671  km

Improved roads

MOP-Fovial

   7,983  km

Summer transit

MOP-Fovial

10,431 km

Foot print roads

MOP-Fovial

   9,687  km

Urban roads

MOP-Fovial

   2,094  km

 

Bridges

El Salvador has not erected several complex bridge structures. Outside the capital there are bridges that pass over rivers and have some important vehicle flow. There are two major bridges in the country:

  • San Marcos Lempa Bridge (found on Highway CA-2) with a length of 700 meters and draft of 17.7 meters. Its construction costs amounted to US $25 million dollars and built in three years. 
  • The Pan American Highway Bridge (found on Highway CA-1) which spans 400 meters in length. 
     

A list of Bridges in areas with high floods risk can be found in Annex II Bridges in areas with high floods risk.

 

 

International corridors leading to the Country

The foundation to develop and intertwine logistics and transport has come about with the construction of the Union Port. The notion of networking a road system around the Port would facilitate the transport of international cargo from the port to various cities in El Salvador.

As part of the Plan Puebla-Panama accords, six international corridors have been incorporated and enabled, from which three of them are in El Salvador:

  • Port Union–Port Cortés
  • La Libertad-Poy-San Pedro Sula (“Canal Seco”)
  • Acajutla-Anguiatu-Rio Hondo-Guatemala International Inter-oceanic

 

Main corridors within the Country (leading to main towns / hubs)

El Salvador is a transit point for passengers and freight transport travelling from North to South America or vice versa. The Pan-American Highway passes through El Salvador and connects the capital, San Salvador, with land borders with Guatemala and Honduras. Two other major roads are the Coastal Highway, built in the 50's, which runs parallel to the coast of the Pacific Ocean and the North Trunk Road, which connects the capital with the department of Chalatenango.

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