82 Sections of Ecuador's Highway Network Have Been in Poor Condition for 3+ Years

The Finding

Primicias published a detailed report on April 13, 2026 on the state of Ecuador's highway network (source). The core number: "En Ecuador hay 82 tramos de carreteras que llevan al menos tres años en permanente mal estado."

Translation: 82 stretches of highway have been in permanent poor condition for at least three years.

The responsible agency is the Ministerio de Infraestructura y Transporte (MIT) — what the article calls "el ahora Ministerio de Infraestructura y Transporte (MIT)," a recent restructuring of the former Ministry of Transport.

Which Provinces Are Worst

The worst two provinces by total neglected kilometers:

• Sucumbíos: 380 km in poor condition
• Imbabura: 237 km in poor condition

Measured as a percentage of the provincial state network in poor condition, the rankings shift:

| Province | % of state network in poor condition | |---|---| | Zamora | 95% | | Sucumbíos | 76% | | Napo | 75% | | Morona | 74% | | Imbabura | 74% | | Carchi | 69% | | Orellana | 68% | | Los Ríos | 68% | | Azuay | 66% |

Several provinces — Cañar, Chimborazo, Morona, Orellana, Zamora, and Azuay — have sections that have been in poor condition for 5 to 6 years, not just three.

What This Means for Expats

• If you drive in Ecuador, this is the single most practical story to know about. The problem is not abstract — it's the reason your trip from Ibarra to Tulcán, or from Tena to Coca, takes twice as long as Google Maps says.
• Check road conditions before long drives. Facebook groups for each region ("Rutas Ecuador," "Viajeros Ecuador") post real-time conditions, and the MIT sometimes posts advisories.
• Rainy season makes it worse. A road in poor condition in dry season becomes dangerous in heavy rain. Landslides and washouts compound the existing deterioration.
• Azuay expats: at 66% of the state network in poor condition, it's not just the backroads — even main inter-cantonal routes can be rough.
• Vilcabamba/Loja and Amazon region expats: Sucumbíos, Morona, Orellana, Napo, and Zamora all sit in the 68%+ bracket. If you live or travel in the Oriente, plan longer travel times than maps suggest.

Source: Primicias