The expansion of the bridge over the Virilla river that connects Lindora de Santa Ana and Belen, Heredia has begun, according to the government website, Gobierno.cr.
The work, that should be ready in 13 months, involves the construction of two new lanes next to the current bridge. Once finished, the bridge will be four lanes.
This is the fourth bridge over the Virilla river, a river that spans from the east to west of Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM). The other two important ones are: the ‘platina‘ which is in its last days of completion and the bridge that connects La Uruca to Heredia.
The Santa Ana – Belen project will cost approximately US$8.5 million dollars, financed by the Central American Bank for Economic Intergration (Banco Centroamericano de Integración Económica – BCIE).
The new structure will a metal gantry bridge, with variable edge, 133 metres long and 12.1 metres wide (two lanes of 3.6 metres each), with internal and external shoulders and a 2.2 metre wide sidewalk for pedestrian crossing.
For the first few months there will be some earth moving, but it will be several months before road users will begin to see any real work being carried out in the area of the bridge, says the website.
It will be between month 6 or 7 of the project that work will actually rise above, to the road level.
The effects on vehicular traffic, that is making the situation any worse than it already is, will be nil say Ministry of Transport (MOPT) officials.
In addition to the bridge expansion, the Lindora Radial will be expanded to five lanes. Although that contract is separate from the bridge expansion, and by a different contractor, with different funding, work will be carried out simultaneously to complete at the same time.
