Bridge To Pacific Coast In Costa Rica Almost Completed
Excellent news for those traveling between Guanacaste and San Jose: the Amistad Bridge over the Tempisque River is 99% complete and will be inaugurated next week. After three months of intervention and maintenance work, Efraím Zeledón, Vice-Minister of Transportation, indicated that they are now in the final stage.
The iconic Tempisque River Bridge, also known as La Amistad, is undergoing significant structural repairs in 2024. Located between the cantons of Cañas and Nicoya along National Route 18, this bridge spans Costa Rica's largest river and is a critical transportation link in the region.
Originally opened in 2003 and designed to last a century, the bridge has required urgent rehabilitation due to damaged supports, crumbling infrastructure, and faulty lighting. The repairs, which began on April 1, 2024, are expected to conclude by mid-May, ensuring the bridge's longevity for decades to come
“The asphalt mix has already been laid, we are working on demarcation, final painting details, and placing the joints. It is practically ready and according to plan, we will be opening next week,” he assured. Between now and July 24, the date scheduled for the reopening, small works will be carried out and the final details will be reviewed.
“The bridge is almost ready. The most complicated part, which was to lift the bridge, change the supports, and lower it again, has already been done. A delicate part, which was the placement of the asphalt mix, has been successfully completed, and the installation of the lighting, which was very important, has also been finalized,” Efraím Zeledón commented.
La Amistad Bridge is almost 8400 feet long and consists of two sections: a 2800-foot cable-stayed section, supported by tension cables, and a 5600-foot fixed section, supported by eight concrete piers. It is located between the cantons of Cañas and Nicoya. The work on this bridge included replacing the supports on one bastion and several piers, replacing expansion joints, general repairs to the tower, lighting installation, and asphalting the road surface.
Estrumet Metalmecánica is the company in charge of the diagnosis and intervention of the bridge. The total cost of the work is $1,769,134.78, which is close to one billion colones. Many reports showed that the bridge was in very poor condition and is a danger for those who had to cross it, so the re-do was extremely urgent.
The reopening will take place prior to the celebration of the bicentennial of the annexation of the Nicoya Party. The government will tour the Guanacaste province starting Monday, July 22. President Rodrigo Chaves will visit Abangares, Liberia, La Cruz, Carrillo, and Nicoya.
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