Pont Centenaire

The Bridge Centenary (Spanish: Puente Centenario ) is a bridge above the Canal of Panamá, with the Panamá, connecting the North America and South. It was built to relieve the encumbered Pont of Americas and to replace it on the way of the Pan-American Highway. With the bridge of Americas, they are the two only permanent crossings above the channel.

Description

The bridge is located 15 kilometers at the north of the bridge of Americas and crosses the Coupe Strapping man close to the locks Pedro Miguel. It includes new portions of highways connecting Araijan to the west and Cerro Patacon in the east.

History

The bridge of Americas which had opened in 1962 was the only permanent crossing above the channel; its traffic was of 9 500 vehicles per day in the beginning, but had reached 35 000 vehicles in 2004.

Since the bridge represented a point of major throttling on the Pan-American Highway, the Minister for public transport of Panamá launched an invitation to tender in October 2000. The contract was gained in March 2002, with an ambitious programme of 29 months for construction to celebrate the 90 years of the transit of the first ship, on August 15th, 1914. The bridge was named for the centenary of the State de Panamá, the November 3rd 2003.

The bridge was inaugurated at the wanted date, on August 15th, 2004, but with the traffic only the September 2nd 2005 was opened once the finished roads.

Construction

The bridge is a Suspended bridge an overall length of 1 052 m; the longest section makes 320 m length. It offers a Tirant of air of 80 m making it possible the largest ships to pass below. It is supported by two 184 height m turns. The apron carries six ways of traffic. It was conceived to support the earthquakes frequently occurring in the canal zone.

Sources

General reference

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