Panama Canal Receives Bids for New Bridge

The Panama Canal Authority received six proposals Tuesday from design and engineering companies or consortia around the world for the design of the first-ever bridge on the Atlantic side of the waterway.

The new bridge would replace the road that crosses the gates of the Gatun locks and connects the west and east sides of the city of Colon. That road can only be used by cars or trucks during the approximate 30 minutes the gates are closed to allow a ship to be locked up or down to the next level of the canal.

This new bridge will be the third across the Canal and the first located near the Gatun Locks.

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The following groups and their bids were presented in a public ceremony held in Panama City on Tuesday: TYPSA Principia bid $4,995,150; URS Holdings, $6,150,021; Puente de Colón JV, $7,212,000; ARUP, $8,542,017; China Communications Construction Company/Louis Berger Group, $4,662,352; and Ty Lin International, $9,669,231.

The contract consists of both the design of a bridge made of braced concrete and the design for access roads to the bridge.

The bids were solicited according to a 2006 law based on the referendum to move forward with the expansion of the Panama Canal, which requires an option for vehicular crossing over the Atlantic side of the Canal.

The canal authority said it is evaluating the lowest cost proposal, jointly submitted by the China Communications Construction Company and the Louis Berger Group.

It will award a contract if it determines that this proposal meets all project needs.

--Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @petertleach.