Construction work on Colombia’s landmark Yati-Bodega bridge is already 50% complete. The 2.3km Puente de la Reconciliacion Bridge spans the Magdalena River and when complete, will be the longest in the country. The project is challenging however, due to the river’s flow rate as well as the underlying geology. Once the bridge opens to traffic, it will connect the municipality of Mompox with the rest of Colombia’s Bolivar department. At present Mompox and Magangue are difficult to reach by road due to the lack of a direct route. The new bridge will connect Colombia’s important Ruta del Sol and Troncal de Occidente highways. The Puente de la Reconciliacion Bridge is part of a 12km link, which is costing just over US$82 million. The project also includes the construction of the Santa Lucia Bridge and roads linking Isla Grande and Puente Roncador-Bodega. When the bridge is complete it will cut the travel time between Bolivar and central Colombia by four hours.
Progress on the bridge has been good with 18 of its 50 support columns in the river having been already been installed. At the same time 50 of the abutments that will support the bridge’s 224 arches have also been installed. The construction work is being carried out by a consortium, Consorcio Nacional Yati and the bridge itself should be completed by the end of this year, although the connecting roads will take longer to finish.
Progress on the bridge has been good with 18 of its 50 support columns in the river having been already been installed. At the same time 50 of the abutments that will support the bridge’s 224 arches have also been installed. The construction work is being carried out by a consortium, Consorcio Nacional Yati and the bridge itself should be completed by the end of this year, although the connecting roads will take longer to finish.
