{"id":12270,"date":"2026-08-27T12:12:58","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T15:12:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aniu.org.uy\/sin-categorizar\/the-roads-of-uruguay-history-territory-and-development\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T12:12:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T15:12:58","slug":"the-roads-of-uruguay-history-territory-and-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aniu.org.uy\/en\/news\/the-roads-of-uruguay-history-territory-and-development\/","title":{"rendered":"The Roads of Uruguay: History, Territory, and Development"},"content":{"rendered":"

On August 12, the National Academy of Engineering of Uruguay (ANIU) presented the book *A Brief History of Uruguay\u2019s Roads*<\/em>, by Lucio C\u00e1ceres, an engineer, at an event held in the CSI Ingenieros auditorium. <\/p>\n

The presentation featured former President of the Republic Dr. Julio Mar\u00eda Sanguinetti, author of the foreword, and historian Oscar Padr\u00f3n Favre. The event also received support from the Uruguayan Road Association. <\/p>\n

The book traces the evolution of roads, streets, and bridges in Uruguay, from indigenous trails and the colonial period through 1985. Through this chronological overview, it analyzes the relationship between infrastructure, territorial organization, economic development, and the country\u2019s institutional consolidation. <\/p>\n

A History of Roads<\/h2>\n

C\u00e1ceres explained that the idea for the book arose from his long-standing professional involvement in the field of transportation, which began in 1976. Since then, his work has been focused on the planning, construction, and management of the nation\u2019s infrastructure. <\/p>\n

The work begins with the trails that existed before the arrival of the Europeans and continues with the routes used by indigenous peoples, Jesuits, the Portuguese, and the Spanish. It also covers the routes taken by armies, couriers, chasques, carts, and stagecoaches, as well as the subsequent expansion of the railroad and the road network. <\/p>\n

\"Lucio<\/p>\n

These roads made it possible to connect towns, transport livestock and goods, consolidate land ownership, and extend the state\u2019s presence. Their evolution also kept pace with changes in modes of transportation and economic activities. <\/p>\n

The book devotes special attention to the institutions and regulations that made this process possible, including the Topographic Commission, the Rural Code, the Ministry of Public Works, and the National Highway Administration.<\/p>\n

Building roads means bringing civilization<\/h2>\n

During his speech, Sanguinetti stated that \u201cto speak of roads and highways is to speak of civilization.\u201d<\/p>\n

The former president recalled that the road network was a necessary condition for the political, administrative, and military functioning of the Roman Empire. Drawing on that precedent, he emphasized that transportation routes were also fundamental to the organization and development of Uruguay. <\/p>\n

Sanguinetti reviewed some of the key milestones in that process, such as the creation of the Topographic Commission in 1830, the expansion of the railroad during the 19th century, the construction of bridges, and the gradual organization of the institutions responsible for public works.<\/p>\n

He also discussed the impact of infrastructure on cities. The construction of the Montevideo Rambla, for example, not only created a new thoroughfare but also transformed residents\u2019 relationship with the waterfront and altered the capital\u2019s urban layout. <\/p>\n

The speaker also highlighted the work of the engineers who contributed to the country\u2019s development and mentioned figures such as Federico Capurro, Juan Alberto Capurro, Juan Pedro Fabini, and Jos\u00e9 Serrato.<\/p>\n

A Topic Missing from Education<\/h2>\n

Padr\u00f3n Favre analyzed the book from a historical and educational perspective. In particular, he noted that the history of roads and engineering is part of what he called the \u201cmissing curriculum\u201d: knowledge relevant to understanding the country that generally does not appear in school curricula. <\/p>\n

The historian argued that transportation routes played a decisive role in shaping the territory, although their evolution is rarely studied in classrooms.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.<\/p>\n

In that regard, he highlighted the book\u2019s ability to explain a technically and historically complex topic in a way that is accessible to the general public. He described it as a work of synthesis and \u201cdidactic transposition,\u201d understood as the process of presenting specialized knowledge in a simple way without distorting it. <\/p>\n

Padr\u00f3n Favre also discussed the relationship between infrastructure and development. As he explained, the feasibility of building a road should not be evaluated solely based on the number of people living in the surrounding area, since a new road can generate activities, services, and opportunities that did not exist before. <\/p>\n

Added to this is the importance of freight transportation in a country where production is spread across the territory and must reach industrial centers, markets, and ports.<\/p>\n

The Impact of the Railroad<\/h2>\n

Another topic discussed was the expansion of the railroad during the 19th century. Padr\u00f3n Favre argued that its arrival marked a turning point for transportation in Uruguay. <\/p>\n

Until then, the movement of people and goods had depended mainly on horses, wagons, and stagecoaches. The railroad reduced travel times, made it possible to transport livestock under better conditions, and facilitated the flow of products, knowledge, and technologies from Montevideo and abroad into the interior. <\/p>\n

According to the historian, that transformation helped modernize the estancias, increase the value of the countryside, and accelerate the country\u2019s economic and territorial integration.<\/p>\n

Long-Term Planning<\/h2>\n

C\u00e1ceres pointed out that many of the projects that shaped the region were conceived several decades in advance.<\/p>\n

As an example, he cited the studies conducted in the early 20th century to organize access routes to Montevideo, when automobile traffic was still very limited. He also recalled the planning associated with the development of Nueva Palmira and La Paloma as strategic locations for port activity. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to look back, because there were people who thought deeply and knew a great deal,\u201d he said. According to C\u00e1ceres, regaining that capacity for planning is necessary to address today\u2019s infrastructure challenges. <\/p>\n

The author also reviewed the evolution of construction techniques. The first wooden bridges were replaced by metal structures and later by reinforced and prestressed concrete structures. In road construction, hand-quarried stone and macadam gave way to new materials and methods. <\/p>\n

The Key Players in Road Safety<\/h2>\n

The publication also traces the careers of engineers, technicians, workers, and officials who contributed to the development of the national highway system.<\/p>\n

Among them, C\u00e1ceres mentioned Federico Capurro, who was in charge of the experimental bridge built over the Yi River in the early 20th century; John Smith, who analyzed the institutional, technical, and economic-financial aspects of the road system; and Agust\u00edn Maggi, who was involved in the organization and expansion of the infrastructure during the first decades of the 20th century.<\/p>\n

He also highlighted Tom\u00e1s Berreta\u2019s tenure as Minister of Public Works. During that period, the use of locally available materials made it possible to significantly expand the length of national and departmental roads. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

C\u00e1ceres pointed out that many of these figures are little known, even though their decisions and work left a lasting mark on the region. The book seeks to preserve that legacy and shed light on the people behind every road and every bridge. <\/p>\n

A second volume<\/h2>\n

The timeline of *A Brief History of Uruguay\u2019s Roads*<\/em> ends in 1985. C\u00e1ceres explained that he chose that point because, starting the following year, he became directly involved in the processes analyzed, first as national director of the Highway Administration and later as minister of Transportation and Public Works. <\/p>\n

During the presentation, he announced that he is already working on a second volume, dedicated to the period after 1985 and also based on his personal experience in managing the national infrastructure.<\/p>\n

The full recording of the presentation can be viewed below.<\/p>\n