The project of "Expansion to six (6) lanes - Corredor de las Playas, Section 1: La Chorrera - Santa Cruz, province of Panamá Oeste" which consists of an approximate length of 32.65 kilometers, which begins at the end of the Arraiján highway - La Chorrera and ends in Santa Cruz (at the crossroads over the Lagarto river), advances with the verification of the soil survey works to proceed with the construction of the piles of the La Chorrera viaduct.

This verification of soil soundings is carried out specifically for the construction of the piles of the La Chorrera viaduct, which starts in the sector of La Espiga and culminates in the La Pesa area.

For the execution of these works of verification of soundings, it was necessary to make provisional detours in both directions, and parallel to the lanes of the Pan-American Highway, from the corner of the Texaco station, entrance to La Valdeza, up to 200 meters approximately before the return of La Pesa.

These adjustments consist of the closure of two existing lanes on both sides of the Pan-American Highway, in the aforementioned section, which was done in coordination with the Transit and Land Transportation Authority (ATTT) and the National Police.

To cause the least impact on vehicular traffic, work was carried out to enable two additional lanes, with the objective of maintaining the fluidity of the vehicles and capacity of the existing road, in the same previous grade, that is, with two lanes enabled in both directions.

This project contemplates the construction of two reinforced earth walls that will give access and exit to the aerial section of the viaduct, which will be located in the center of the lanes at the exit of La Autopista Arraiján - La Chorrera and the other in La Pesa, so that it is necessary to move the current lanes.

Currently, we are working on the conformation and stabilization of the land, where the La Chorrera interchange and the viaduct access wall will be built.

In the sector of La Herradura, where the current bridge is located, the project contemplates the construction of an interchange that will give access in all senses.

Other works that are executed, is the enabling pedestrian spaces signaled in the areas where the additional temporary detours were built, to give security to pedestrians who circulate in these areas.

Also, as part of the project, the execution of maintenance to the Pan-American Highway is contemplated, in the sections between variants where it will not be expanded, such as Capira and Campana.

The work developed by the MOP through the FCC Consortium - Las Playas 1 Corridor (FCC Construcción S.A. and Operator CICSA S.A.), for an investment amount of B /. 603,260,031.64.

The objective of this work is to expand the high capacity road network of the Pan-American Highway, in its stretch La Chorrera - San Carlos, to adapt them to present and future demand, improve permeability and circulation among populations on the Pacific side , and improve the current conditions of the infrastructure network with respect to distances and travel times, comfort and safety for users.

The road must have a sufficient capacity to absorb the vehicular demand during the next 20 years, and its purpose is to improve the roads, the traffic, the flows for heavy loads as well as for the users who use this road on a daily basis.

In general, the project consists of the extension to three lanes per address, includes a variant in the Capira area of 4.0 kilometers and 4.0 kilometers in the Campana area, where we have a realignment of the existing road and a viaduct of 1,500 meters.

The contractor must comply with the requirements of the Environmental Impact Study and the Environmental Specifications of the MOP, in order to comply with a revegetation plan in all intervened areas, once the works have been completed.

In addition, it is contemplated in the sections between variants; the rehabilitation and maintenance of pedestrian and vehicular bridges, drainage system, road signs, rehabilitation of access slabs, among others. This expansion should consider improvements in alignment to comply with the parameters established in the Schedule of Charges, as well as the identification of road solutions at critical points.

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