Causeway exansion tips $74.8 million
THE EXPANSION of the Amador Causeway from two to four lanes, will cost $74.8 million up $8.3 million from the original contract.
The original contract signed by the previous administration was for $ 66.5 million. At a Friday, April 8, Press Conference in the Presidency, Minister of Works Ramón Arosemena, said that it was necessary to make adjustments, because “When we arrived we found a number of shortcomings in the original project.”
For example, the original design did not include a bicycle path nor the rehabilitation of the existing pedestrian sidewalk, drainage and fishing pier.
The first addendum was to redesign the project and include the Cycle path. A second addendum incorporated $729,000 to introduce solar lighting, in addition to electricity.
The third addendum, for $5,176,000 covered rehabilitation of the old roadway, sanitation and drainage adaptation, among others.
The fourth addendum, for $ 2.3 million, was for a three year maintenance contract. The objectives of the project were to improve the vehicular traffic access to Amador while upgrading the creative and tourist facilities to include entertainment areas.
The extension includes 115 parking lots and bathrooms for public use. The contractor received the Order to proceed on November 29, 2013.
