News

The bidding process to build a fourth bridge over the Panama Canal is moving forward, in a plan that will take a dramatic step in connecting Panama City to communities in the west.

Six construction companies have been approved to bid on the $1 billion project. The companies include Odebrecht and Sacyr, which have been active in Panama. The other bidders are two Chinese consortiums, as well as the Korean firm Hyundai and the Italian company Astaldi, according to La Prensa.

Now that the consortiums have been pre-approved, the bidding process can move forward to build the bridge, which will include six lanes for traffic and two lanes for the Panama metro. The formal tender process could happen as early as September.

While there are many efforts underway to improve traffic across the Canal, the fourth bridge will likely provide the greatest benefit and change the game. Not only will the new lanes ease car traffic, the extension of Metro Line 3 over the Canal will provide a true alternative to driving and directly link the western business districts and communities to Panama City.

The trust test of any mass transit system is its ability to provide a convenient and affordable choice to getting in the car. With the extension over the Canal, as well as expansion to the east of the City, the Metro—the first of its kind in Central America—is developing as a network that can really address the commuting patterns of the city.

The review of the construction noted that it takes special skills to build a bridge. The evaluation committee focused on “the economic health of the bidders and their experience in the construction and design of bridges,” La Prensa reports.