The Bridges down Panama Canal

When you are at Panama and doing your cruise down the Panama canal, you won’t miss to notice the bridges that connects two main lands of the city. These bridges add to the attractions upon your tour. We’ll give you a rundown of the bridges you will see when you cruise the Panama canal. 

Bridge of the Americas

Rising at a height of 118 meters (354 ft.) and width of 1,669 meters (5,007 ft.), the Bridge of the Americans join the two area masses divided because of the development of The Panama Canal. It was constricted by the United States, at an expense of $20 million dollars, the Bridge of the Americas now structures an essential piece of the Interamerican Highway, associating both North and South America.

While it is presently known to as the Bridge of the Americas, it was initially named after Mr. Maurice H. Thatcher, the one who cut the tape during the inauguration of the bridge. Now, very few if none have been referring to the bridge as its old.

Puente Centenario or The New Millennium Bridge

The Centennial Bridge or Puente Centenario is the second major bridge of the Panama Canal.  It stretches at 15 km (9.3 mi) north of the Bridge of the Americas and crosses the Culebra Cut (Gaillard Cut) near the Pedro Miguel locks. New turnpike segments, associating Arraijan in the west to Cerro Patacon in the east through the scaffold. It is essentially built to limit the congestion of crossers on the Bridge of the Americas.

During the time when this scaffold was opened, 9,500 vehicles crossed the extension every day; now over 35,000 have been crossing the bridge each day, most of them crossing in the rush hour.

So next time you plan to visit Panama or during one of your Panama tours, you will take a look of these bridges and with knowledge in mind of its history.