Panama’s Ministry of Public Works (@MOPdePanama), just released the specifications for the selection of the company to construct the fourth Panama Canal Bridge.

Only six pre-selected companies from the following countries may apply for the project: China, Korea, Italy, Spain and Brazil. The proposals are expected to be turned in by mid January 2017.

A 3.5 year project ahead

The fourth bridge will have a total length of just over one kilometer, and the entire project length, starting at Albrook´s Metro Station, crossing the Canal, connecting with the Pan American Highway-Arraijan road, will have a length of 6.5 kilometers. It is scheduled to finish in a timeframe of approximately 3.5 years, which means delivery should be in late 2020 or early 2021.

Positive changes ahead for transportation

Both public and private transportation will benefit from this fourth bridge across the Panama Canal. Citizens from areas like Arraijan can decrease their home-to-work transit times significantly, by taking the Metro which will also use this new bridge, having a general positive impact on the quality of life for many. On a daily basis, hundreds of thousands of persons cross the Bridge of the Americas and the Centenario Bridge, causing mayor road congestion and delays.

It is a very complex project that has never been done before, considering that it should support both the metro line and the road traffic, and that construction may not interrupt operations of the Panama Canal.