IL Postcard

Progress for the People or their Cars? Panama's Newest Road Project

Date: 04/02/2007

In 1997 Panamanian authorities first entertained the idea of a new highway extending the then-new Corridor Sur (the toll road from Panama City's Tocumen International Airport to residential areas near the downtown financial district). However, the project was deemed too big and the administration said funding wasn't available.
After the 2006 Panama Canal referendum in which Panamanians voted to expand the waterway, the project was resurrected. The current administration has been bullish on roads and the transit system as a whole, revamping Panama City and Colon roads (along with roads in other parts of the country), and pushing through tough transit system reforms.

The highway project, dubbed La Cinta Costera (or the "coastal belt") has been modified from the original 1997 design. No longer conceived as an extension of the Corridor Sur, the new road would parallel Balboa Avenue. There's just one problem…Balboa Avenue is right on the water, and there's no land on which to build.

The new Cinta Costera design - an $85 million venture - requires more than 62 acres of landfill. Although more than 50% of the project would be earmarked for "green" areas, local groups and public figures are speaking out. Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Libertad Ciudadana ("The Citizens' Freedom Foundation") and Alianza Pro Ciudad (the "Pro City Alliance") have been vociferous about la cinta.

Opponents say they don't oppose the road, but they do want a modified design - one that's better for the environment and people (not just their cars). They also say the government has been too quick to approve the project, and that according to Panamanian law, the design should be a matter of public debate.

Local authorities say they have discussed the project enough and must move forward. Construction companies interested in the project have been told to prepare to submit bids this month.

Regards,

Brandon Clogston
International Living / Panama

P.S. We invite you to visit Panama and evaluate the First-World infrastructure for yourself. We would love to welcome you for our next Live & Prosper in Panama Seminar, taking place May 10-12, 2007. Find out more here.