Govt. approves US$14.4mn for Canal's second bridge

Panama's legislative assembly has approved an additional US$14.4mn to the public works ministry (Mop) for construction of a second bridge over the Canal, El Panama America reported. Some US$10mn of this amount will be funded by state water utility Idaan, US$2mn from the education ministry (Meduc), US$1.9mn from the housing ministry (Mivi) and the remainder from the agricultural development ministry (Mida), the paper said. The funds will go towards repayment of the construction company, as they put down 45% of financing for works, the paper quoted Mop official Eduardo Quiros as saying. The Centenario bridge, which is slated to be completed August 15, 2004, is some 1,052m long, 180m high and has six lanes. Works were launched in mid-March and are headed up by German company Bilfinger Berger. The cost of the construction works remains US$104mn, the paper added, though the extra costs of launching works has required additional financial approvals. The legislative assembly approved US$11.9mn in early-August, BNamericas previously reported. The bridge is being built north of the existing Puente de las Americas bridge at the Pacific mouth of the canal, and will link capital Panama City with the country's western regions.