Panama: more Metro

A third Metro line in Panama City may become reality sooner rather than later, as Japan last week confirmed its interest in funding the project, at an expected cost of $1.8 billion.

The third line includes a new bridge over the Panama Canal, which would connect the city with several western suburbs, including La Chorrera and Arraijan.

In exchange for low-cost financing through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Panama would use various Japanese products.

However, the project will in addition require local services, including engineering and construction.

The third line would increase the efficiency of transportation across the canal, which is currently limited to vehicle traffic on the often-congested Americas Bridge.

Line One of the Metro is expected to start operating within the next 90 days, following an investment of $1.8 billion.

The first phase of the line is 14 kilometers long, with 12 stations, seven underground and five elevated.

The main participants in the consortium which built the line are Brazil’s Odebrecht, Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas of Spain, and Alstom of France, which supplied the trains.