page_title: Transport in Colombia
section_title: Standardization
hierarchical_section_title: Transport in Colombia / History / Standardization
caption_attribution_description: Image of Barranquilla bridge over magdalena river, Colombia
context_page_description: Transport in Colombia is regulated by the Ministry of Transport.
  Road travel is the main means of transport; 69 percent of cargo is transported by road, as compared with 27 percent by railroad, 3 percent by internal waterways, and 1 percent by air.
context_section_description: During the late 19th century European and American companies introduced railways to carry to the ports the local production of raw materials intended for exports and also imports from Europe. Steam ships began carrying Colombians, immigrants and goods from Europe and the United States over the Magdalena River.
  The Ministry of Transport was created in 1905 during the Presidency of Rafael Reyes under the name of  Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transporte or Ministry of Public Works and Transport with the main function of taking care of national assets issues, including mines, oil (fuel), patents and trade marks, railways, roads, bridges, national buildings and land without landowners.
  In the early 20th century roads and highways maintenance and construction regulations were established. Rivers were cleaned, dragged and channeled and the navigational industry was organized. The Public works districts were created, as well as the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Colombia (National Railways of Colombia). Among other major projects developed were the aqueduct of Bogotá, La Regadera Dam and the Vitelma Water Treatment Plant. The Ministry also created the National Institute of Transit (from the Spanish Instituto Nacional de Tránsito), (INTRA) under the Transport and tariffs Directorate and was in charge of designing the first National roads plan with the support of many foreign multinational construction companies.
  Aviation was born in Barranquilla with the creation of SCADTA in 1919 a joint venture between Colombians and Germans that delivered mail to the main cities of Colombia which later merged with SACO to form Avianca.
caption: The Pumarejo bridge in Barranquilla. The bridge serves to cross the Magdalena River between the Departments of Atlántico and Magdalena. It is also one of the oldest standing bridges in Colombia.
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