Bridge · Panama

How much did Bridge of the Americas cost to build?

The Bridge of the Americas, first known as the Thatcher Ferry Bridge, carries road traffic across the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal at Balboa. Built by the United States from 1959 to 1962 to replace the ferry crossing, the 1,655-metre bridge has a 344-metre main span. A contemporary United Nations economic study recorded the bridge works at USD 20 million and noted that this expense was not charged to the Panama Canal Company; the figure is a historical reported construction cost, not a present-day valuation. The Panama Canal Authority dates the opening to 12 October 1962. The bridge remains a distinct crossing from the later Centennial and Atlantic bridges.