After almost three years of starting work, Costa Rica and Panama inaugurate Binational Bridge

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After years of paperwork and delays in the works, the construction of a bridge between Costa Rica and Panama over the Sixaola River is finally a reality.

The construction of the bridge started in 2015 and it was estimated that it would be ready in 2017, but in the face of different situations, the work suffered delays and was completed 6 years after its start.

One of the main delays occurred at the beginning of last year when the works were stopped on the Panamanian side due to the covid-19 pandemic.

The structure was inaugurated this past week and had a cost of US$25 million. At 206 meters long and 16.4 meters wide, it joins the border towns of Sixaola -in Costa Rica- and Guabito -in Panama-. This modern structure will replace the railway bridge used for 100 years and is supposed to bring great economic benefits, facilitating the transport of products and merchandise.

It also has sidewalks and bicycle lanes on both sides and access ramps at both ends with an approximate length of 200 meters each. An amount of US$10 million was contributed by the Mesoamerican Fund-Government of Mexico, while each of the governments made a contribution of US$7.5 million each.

Important mobility of goods

Rodolfo Méndez Mata, head of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Mopt) said that the work is important for the mobility of goods, not only in Costa Rica and Panama, but for the Mesoamerican region.

“Gone is the centenary railway bridge to give way to a modern structure over the Sixaola River that we are putting into service today. I am sure that it will bring great benefits to our nations by facilitating the transport of products and merchandise produced in our countries, and that it will have a significant impact on the inhabitants of Guabito and Sixaola,” said Méndez.

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