By Patricio Segura
The announcement of the complete paving of the stretch of road between Villa Cerro Castillo and Cochrane, together with the expansion of Balmaceda Airport, is a concrete example of the challenges Aysén will face in the coming years. These two initiatives, which fall squarely into the category of megaprojects, will undoubtedly transform this part of Patagonia.
It’s not that there haven’t been other processes in the region with significant social, environmental, and economic impacts, for better or worse. The construction of the Carretera Austral (Southern Highway) itself, the construction of new hospitals, the arrival of fiber-optics, and the expansion of the salmon industry have all shaped who we are today as a region. And let’s not forget the pandemic, which made remote work viable and sparked interest in living in natural surroundings, furthering rural development—with all its opportunities, but also its environmental and social pressures.
Most of these projects and processes were gradual, with a few exceptions. That’s not the case with the paving and the expansion of Balmaceda Airport, which are scheduled to be completed in just a few years. That’s a significant difference.
That’s why today, as at many other times in a community’s history, a convergence of wills is needed to move forward with something often regarded with suspicion: planning. Not just standing up to applaud and look for good business opportunities, but preparing ourselves for everything to come. Much like what’s being asked of us regarding the climate crisis, which is already upon us.
We need to get our house in order, as best we can, in the face of what’s coming. Land-use planning, both on small and large scales, is recognized as one of the best ways to address the challenges ahead. Planning is much more than coloring in a map, just as paving is much more than simply brushing a swath of black where there used to be gravel.
For the Carretera Austral, we’re talking about 250 kilometers of road. Completing that in just four years will require enormous logistical coordination, among other decisions.
And at Balmaceda, the infrastructure will grow from 2,400 to 12,391 square meters of built space, with the capacity to handle 1.2 million passengers per year. Given that Aysén has just over 100,000 inhabitants, that number is no small thing.
In all of this, the perspective of the people of Aysén—whether residents, farmers, business owners, or public officials—is fundamental in its dual role: as beneficiaries of these initiatives and as those who will bear both the positive and negative effects they bring.
Most of these projects and processes were gradual, with a few exceptions. That’s not the case with the paving and the expansion of Balmaceda Airport, which are scheduled to be completed in just a few years. That’s a significant difference.
That’s why today, as at many other times in a community’s history, a convergence of wills is needed to move forward with something often regarded with suspicion: planning. Not just standing up to applaud and look for good business opportunities, but preparing ourselves for everything to come. Much like what’s being asked of us regarding the climate crisis, which is already upon us.
We need to get our house in order, as best we can, in the face of what’s coming. Land-use planning, both on small and large scales, is recognized as one of the best ways to address the challenges ahead. Planning is much more than coloring in a map, just as paving is much more than simply brushing a swath of black where there used to be gravel.
For the Carretera Austral, we’re talking about 250 kilometers of road. Completing that in just four years will require enormous logistical coordination, among other decisions.
And at Balmaceda, the infrastructure will grow from 2,400 to 12,391 square meters of built space, with the capacity to handle 1.2 million passengers per year. Given that Aysén has just over 100,000 inhabitants, that number is no small thing.
In all of this, the perspective of the people of Aysén—whether residents, farmers, business owners, or public officials—is fundamental in its dual role: as beneficiaries of these initiatives and as those who will bear both the positive and negative effects they bring.
