Bridge of the Americas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 8°56′35″N 79°33′54″W / 8.9431°N 79.565°W |
| Carries | Four lanes of Carretera Panama-Arraijan, pedestrians and bicycles |
| Crosses | Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal |
| Locale | Balboa, Panama |
| Official name | Puente de las Américas |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Steel through arch bridge John F. Beasly & Company |
| Total length | 1,654 m (5,425 ft) |
| Width | 10.4 m (34 ft) |
| Longest span | 344 m (1,128 ft) |
| Clearance below | 61.3 m (201 ft) at high tide |
| History | |
| Opened | October 12, 1962 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 35,000 (2004) |
| Location | |
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The Bridge of the Americas (Spanish: Puente de las Américas; originally known as the Thatcher Ferry Bridge) is a road bridge in Panama which spans the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. Designed by Sverdrup & Parcel, it was completed in 1962 at a cost of US$20 million, connecting the north and south American land masses (hence its name), connecting the American Continent. Two other bridges cross the canal: the Atlantic Bridge at the Gatun locks and the Centennial Bridge.[1]
- ^ Durkee, Jackson (1999-05-24). "World's Longest Bridge Spans" (PDF). National Steel Bridge Alliance. pp. 20, 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2002-06-01. Retrieved 2008-06-21.