News

After years of discussion, it appears Costa Rica is ready to build a new bridge to Panama. Officials said last week they are moving forward with a four-lane bridge that will be built over the Sixaola river, which serves as the boundary between the two countries.

The 260-meter long bridge is scheduled for completion by 2017, and will include bike lanes and crosswalks, the Tico Times reports.

While this may not sound like big news, infrastructure is always the key for developing countries. People forget that Panama is still a young nation. The rapidly developing roads, trains and services are solid evidence that Panama is a maturing market. (Read: “Panama Commits to Massive Infrastructure Spending”)

All around Panama City we see evidence of the country moving forward. New highway projects, the now world famous Panama City metro, the completion of the third phase of the Cinta Costera and the major development on the Amador Causeway are only a few of the projects that show the increased investment in the country.

While a small step, the Costa Rica bridge is one more sign of improvement and one more indication that it is getting easier and easier to move around the region. In addition to upgrading the drive, the bridge “mostly will benefit tourism and trade between Costa Rica and Panama,” said Vice Minister of Infrastructure Mauricio González Quesada.

Officials have been talking about the bridge for years. The river is currently crossed on a temporary, pre-fabricated structure built in 2012.

Construction of the bridge will be overseen by the United Nations Office for Project Services, and will be funded in large part by $10 million supplied by the Infrastructure Fund for Mesoamerica and Caribbean Countries, an aid agency of the Mexican government.

Jeff Barton is the Managing Director of Punta Pacifica Realty, the leading sales and property management company with two offices in the exclusive waterfront skyscraper neighborhood of Punta Pacifica.