The Ministry of Public Works and Transport announced on March 23 that drilling has started for the installation of piles at the site of the new bridge over the Soncoyo River in Santa Cruz de Guanacaste. This phase follows a redesign process aimed at strengthening the foundations to ensure both safety and durability for the new structure.
The project began with demolition of the old bridge, followed by site cleaning and prefabrication of piles. More than 30 out of a total of 80 concrete piles have already been prepared. Drilling is now underway at locations where these piles will be installed into rocky layers to reduce complications during pile driving.
According to officials, equipment mobilization and transportation of additional piles will continue through April, with installation set to begin in May. A temporary crossing has been established so that traffic through the area remains open during construction.
The new bridge will measure 30 meters long and 13 meters wide, featuring two lanes each measuring 3.6 meters. It will also include pedestrian walkways on both sides and a bicycle lane on one side, all protected by “MZ” type railings designed to improve road safety.
Additionally, approximately 500 meters of approach roadwork are planned as part of this project. These works involve constructing a new pavement structure with two lanes, one-meter shoulders, stormwater management systems, and other complementary features.
This initiative is part of the Emergency Program for Comprehensive and Resilient Infrastructure Reconstruction (PROERI) and is funded with ₡1,461 million from resources provided by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration.
