Quito’s 12 de Octubre Roadworks Start Monday And Run For 70 Days

What happened

Quito roadworks begin Monday, July 27, 2026, on Avenida 12 de Octubre.

The rehabilitation work covers the stretch between Avenida Cristobal Colon and Calle Tarqui, in the center-north of the capital. The full project is scheduled to take 70 days, with work extending through October 2.

The project is part of a broader road-rehabilitation plan under the municipal administration of Pabel Munoz. That plan is intended to renew 15 kilometers of roads and benefit about 39,000 residents in sectors including La Floresta, La Vicentina, El Dorado, El Belen, Guapulo, and Mariscal Sucre.

The work plan

The 12 de Octubre intervention covers 1,774 meters.

Work is planned seven days a week, but by zone and phase:

• July 27 to August 22: Cristobal Colon to Madrid. The first 15 days are planned north-south, followed by 12 days south-north.
• August 23 to September 18: Madrid to Avenida Patria, with 14 days of work in each direction.
• September 19 to October 2: Avenida Patria to Tarqui, with seven days of work in each direction.

The city says the timing uses the July and August school-vacation period, when fewer vehicles circulate, to help workers advance by road sections.

Alternate routes

Traffic agents from the AMT will manage vehicle flow during the project.

Private vehicles can use Patria, Tarqui, 6 de Diciembre, La Coruna, Cristobal Colon, Madrid, Alfredo Mena Caamano, Jose Tamayo, and Ladron de Guevara.

Public transport will continue operating on Toledo, La Coruna, and Ladron de Guevara.

Parallel work is also continuing on Madrid, Guipuzcoa, Pontevedra, Mallorca, Gerona, and Lugo, which are expected to reopen progressively between late July and mid-August as part of the La Floresta road plan.

What This Means for Expats

If you live in Quito or have appointments in the center-north corridor, this is a calendar item more than a breaking-news item.

For the next several weeks, give yourself extra time for medical appointments, school errands, government paperwork, restaurant plans, and rideshare pickups around La Floresta, La Vicentina, Guapulo, and Mariscal Sucre.

The biggest practical risk is assuming one normal route will stay normal. The work shifts by segment and direction, so the best move is to check the phase dates before crossing 12 de Octubre instead of discovering the closure when you are already late.