Bidding on 2nd Phase of Works for Pacific Corridor Due 2008
Bidding for the second phase of works to lay asphalt along Costa Rica's section of the so-called Pacific corridor will be held in 2008, Plan Puebla-Panamá (PPP) regional technical coordinator Annía Beleyda told BNamericas.

The public works ministry - the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) -  is currently carrying out the key works for the first phase of the project, which include the construction of a series of two-lane bridges, said Beleyda.

Works on the northernmost section of the highway, connecting north-central city Barranca with Caldera, in western province Puntarenas, are already complete, said the coordinator.

Additional works are being carried out, running from Caldera south along the Pacific coast, to the city of Quepos. This includes the construction of bridges from the city of Parrita, connecting with Quepos to the south.

Also under execution are works to connect Quepos further to the south with the city of Dominical, and continuing on southwards to Savegre, also in Puntarenas.

From Savegre, the highway runs further south to the border with Panama.

All of these works - including the second phase - are financed with a US$60 million loan from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (Cabei), said Beleyda.

The first phase of construction will be complete in 2008 or 2009, but does not necessarily have to be finished before bidding on the second phase of works kicks off in 2008, added the coordinator.

Bidding will also be held this year on a section, known as the Interamericana Norte, that runs northwards from Barranca to Peña Blanca on Costa Rica's border with Nicaragua, said Beleyda.

This section of the corridor will be financed with a credit line from Cabei, in which payments are made annually according to work progress.

This section will also include new bridges, Beleyda said.

The entire Pacific corridor will run 3,160km from Panama to Mexico, and has an estimated budget of US$1.14 billion, of which US$261million will come from the public sector, according to PPP documents.

It will be carried out over the next three years, and involves the public works and transport ministries in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and El Salvador.

It is expected that some 30 works and 25 studies will be carried out over this time, as well as the awarding of renovation, reconstruction, maintenance and operating concessions to private operators for at least 10 sections of the highway.