Those times in which the residents of Sixaola Limón, crossed to Panama by an old and deteriorated bridge are about to be only an ungrateful memory.
This Friday, the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) reported that the construction of a binational bridge has an advance of 72% and will be completed by the middle of 2020.
This work represents an investment of US$25 million, which comes from a non-repayable loan of US$10 million and a contribution of US$15 million (50% each) from the governments of Costa Rica and Panam.
The structure will be 260 meters long and 16.4 meters wide. In addition, it will have two rails and 40 pre-excavated reinforced concrete piles, sidewalks, bike paths, shoulders, and access ramps.
The new bridge will replace an old railway structure over one hundred years old that collapsed in early September 2017.
Currently, the movement of pedestrians and vehicles is though a bailey bridge.
In parallel, both countries have taken advantage of the project to build new immigration posts in that sector.
“In a little less than a year it was possible to coordinate the institutions, locate the new office space and build the new infrastructure, achieving a harmonious transfer to the new offices in August 2019, with a smooth operation and more comfortable environments,” said Costa Rica’s Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Tomás Figueroa.