Construction has begun on a new bridge over the Barranca River on National Route 1, according to an announcement made by President Rodrigo Chaves Robles and Minister of Public Works and Transport Efraím Zeledón during a tour of Puntarenas province. The project is financed through the Emergency Program for Comprehensive and Resilient Infrastructure Reconstruction (PROERI) with funding from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE).
Minister Zeledón stated, “Thanks to the financing from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE), it will be possible to replace the old structure, which is at imminent risk, with a completely new bridge of 121.5 meters in length with two lanes (one in each direction) and sidewalks on both sides.”
The construction is expected to directly benefit more than 30,000 users and indirectly support another 141,000 people in the area. The current bridge will remain open during construction to avoid disruptions in traffic flow. After completion of the new structure, scheduled within 380 days by the Estrumet-IMNSA consortium, the old bridge will be demolished. The goal is for the new bridge to be operational by October 2026.
The total investment for this project amounts to ₡2,471,066,700 from BCIE loan funds.
