Cuenca-Azogues Highway Gets 30 Nights of Closures for Monay Interchange — Detour Routes Inside
Cuenca Expat Staff
What's Happening
Starting Tuesday, March 10, the Cuenca-Azogues Autopista will have nightly closures for 30 consecutive days in the section between José Carrasco Arteaga Street and Cuzco Street, right near the IESS Hospital sector.
Crews are installing steel bridge beams (vigas) for the Monay Interchange — the massive infrastructure project that's been under construction since August 2025. This phase requires heavy cranes that can only operate when the highway is clear of traffic.
Closure Schedule
- Hours: 11:00 PM to 4:00 AM nightly
- Duration: 30 days starting March 10 (through approximately April 9)
- Direction affected: Both Cuenca→Azogues and Azogues→Cuenca lanes in the construction zone
Daytime traffic is not affected — the highway operates normally during the day.
Detour Routes
Heading toward Azogues:
- Enter the IESS roundabout
- Take José Carrasco Arteaga Street
- Continue via Avenida 24 de Mayo
- Turn onto Calle Cuzco to rejoin the Autopista
Coming into Cuenca from Azogues:
- Exit at Calle Cuzco
- Continue on Avenida 24 de Mayo
- Enter the city via the IESS roundabout
EMOV will have detour signs posted, but if you're driving this route late at night, it helps to know the detour in advance — especially your first time through.
The Bigger Picture
The Monay Interchange is a 24-month, two-phase project being built by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. As of early March, Phase 1 is about 24% complete. The first elevated overpass is expected to be functional by September 2026.
When finished, this interchange will eliminate the nightmare bottleneck where the Autopista meets the Monay/IESS Hospital area — a spot every Cuenca driver knows and dreads. It'll connect the highway directly to Avenida 24 de Mayo and the IESS area without the current at-grade intersections.
Who This Affects
- Late-night Azogues/airport runs — if you have early morning flights from Cuenca's airport (which is technically in Azogues territory), leave extra time or learn the detour
- Night bus passengers — buses on the Cuenca-Azogues route may experience delays
- Residents near the IESS Hospital — expect construction noise during nighttime hours
Sources: El Mercurio, El Mercurio — interchange timeline, GAD Municipal de Cuenca
