4th Bridge Over the Panama Canal

The firm is providing specialized technical assistance during the Request for Proposal, design, construction, and commissioning phases, ensuring the implementation of the objectives of the MOP. 

The 4th Bridge over the Panama Canal will be constructed on the north side of the existing Bridge of the Americas and connect west Panama with Panama City. Along with benefiting the more than 500,000 residents living on the west side of the canal, the new bridge will increase freight transport capacity and improve vessel navigability. 

Featuring two dramatic towers with multiple cable planes, the signature crossing will consist of 1,010 meters of cable-stayed main bridge, a 510-meter-long by 51-meter-wide main span across the canal, and 1,500 meters of approaches.  

The center span will provide a 75-meter free vertical and 350-meter-wide clearance over the navigation channel to accommodate vessels for the future Fourth Set of Locks of the Panama Canal. 

Due to the project location in a high seismic region, the specified bridge design criteria account for seismic effects and near-fault effects. Specified design and durability requirements also exceed American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO requirements), including more stringent criteria for wind, and vessel impact designs. 

Project Highlights: 

• The bridge will have a 100-year design life and incorporate the latest in bridge design and construction technologies. 
• The multimodal crossing will carry six lanes of vehicular traffic (three lanes in each direction), two-way rail lanes to be linked with Panama’s future Metro Line 3, and a bicycle/pedestrian path. 
• The West Tower will feature a high-end restaurant below the superstructure and an observation deck at the top of the tower. 
• The project marks TYLin’s third major bridge project involving crossings over the Panama Canal.