The construction of the first subway in Middle America began on Monday, February 14, 2011 which by the way, is Valentine’s Day in Panama. It has an allotted budget of $1.6 billion and should be finished sometime in 2014. This year will coincide with the last year in office of President Ricardo Martinelli, who made the construction of the subway, one of his main campaign promises, as well as a radical reform of the education system.
“I want to be remembered as the person who transformed Panama’s mass transportation system and improved the quality of life of Panamanians,” said Mr. Martinelli when he awarded the building contract. The whole project includes four subway routes, one of them over the Panama Canal towards the west of the Isthmus.
The subway—ninth in Latin America, but first in Central America—is being built by an international consortium that includes France’s Alstom, Brazil’s Norberto Odebrecht and Spain’s Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas. Alstom will design and build the trains and electromechanical systems for the mass transportation public project.
The system will open with an initial capacity of 15,000 passengers an hour in each direction, with more being added over a period of several years to peak at 40,000 passengers. When it is completed, trains will travel a 8.7-mile line in 23 minutes with stops at 13 stations, some above ground and others below. It will run between the highly densely populated San Miguelito Special District and Albrook national bus terminal.
Last Sunday, May 20, 2012, I drove over to the Trans-isthmian Highway to take pictures on the progress made on this mega-project. The railway support beams are now being built and can be seen above ground. Take a look at the pictures which shows the work in progress. Here we go.
Snapshot of the construction of the Panama subway in Panama City, Panama on Sunday, May 20, 2012. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
You can see a Metro bus towards your left. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
These weren’t visible when I was there in April & early May, there was more activity at ground level. Great to see the progress and wonderful to see people with jobs (so important these harsh days). Thanks for the update, Omar.
Hi Kate:
The economic growth of Panama is one of the highest, if not the highest, is Latin America. Last year the annual GDP grew at 10.6 percent. This year it is expected to be around that same number. We are doing even better than China and Europe is in dire straits, specially Portugal, Greece, Ireland, Spain, and Italy.
Unemployed has nosedived to 4.4 percent, which is almost full employment in economic jargon.
The Panama Canal expansion is also progressing as planned. It should be ready by 2014, which coincides with the centennial of the building of the international waterway.
Regards,
Omar.-
Panama, you impress me and remain the greatest country on earth!
So good to see such projects carrying on! And I had to laugh – at first glance, it seemed to be Houston. When I first moved here in 1970-whatever (maybe 1972? – I’m bad with dates, but not events) they were working just like this on the Gulf Freeway. Today? They’re working on the Gulf Freeway. Our problem, of course, is that we’re too spread out – not so possible for you folks!
Because of the constraints of the former Panama Canal Zone under the jurisdiction of the United States on one side and the ocean on the other side, Panama had no option but to grow sideways, from East to West. It grew like a long narrow shoe string. This unusual asymmetric urban development has brought a transportation chaos which the subway supposedly will alleviate.
We are very excited with this mega-project. Let’s hope it works as planned.
Bye,
Omar.-
Thanks for these pictures, can u please take pics of the Vista Hermosa, Transistmica and 12 de Oct. Ave. area? William