Flaws in Via Espana renewal questioned

The Panamanian Society of Engineers and Architects (SPIA) has questioned part of the progress of the project of urban reordering of Via Espana in a second technical inspection carried out with the with the Municipality of Panama which contracted. the project.

The  $102 million construction was awarded to  Odebrecht, the company that has admitted to the payment of scores of millions in bribes to Panama officials in exchange for contracts is 95% complete.

Specifically, this time the SPIA detected “defects” in the height of the sidewalks and bicycle lanes, anomalies to which it pointed out the first time it toured the project.

Sandra Escorcia, coordinator of the SPIA  Urban Mobility Commission, regretted that both the municipality and the company have not complied with the recommendations made last year.

Escorcia mentioned that in 2018 they made suggestions to improve pedestrian safety on the issue of sidewalks. For example, between the street and the sidewalk, there should be an ideal height of 15 centimeters, but those of the project are between 50 and 73 centimeters high.

“There are three stretches of sidewalks that must be corrected,” said Escorcia.

She also said that the bike lanes are not continuous and because of that their trajectory is interrupted, which can generate accidents between cyclists and pedestrians.

“We hope that the Municipality will ask Odebrecht to fix these defects before approving the project. It is very expensive work, “she added.

Regarding ramps for people with disabilities, the SPIA specialist said that the lack of coordination was evident, as they are very inclined.

Ramiro De León , head of study and design of the Directorate of Works and Constructions of the Municipality, said the tour was to meet the suggestions of the SPIA and publicize that the work, in addition to sidewalks, includes street furniture, landscaping and burying of cables from Via  Porras to  5 de Mayo seeking  to provide the center of the city with pedestrian-friendly spaces.

De León said  that the only thing missing is the removal of the electric poles, by one of the energy distribution companies

He said that in 2018 the Municipality sent a note to the SPIA in which it clarified several of its concerns.

In the letter, the municipal authorities explained, for example, that the works of revitalization of sidewalks have been conditioned to the level of existing buildings and that sidewalks, where the height is higher than usual, are not enabled for pedestrian crossing.

The ramps for people with disabilities, been designed with criteria of universal accessibility, which were verified and endorsed by the Technical Advisory Committee on Universal Accessibility.

On the generalities of the work, the Mayor said that the Directorate of Urban Planning generated a guide to public space, which has been used for the different projects that are being promoted in the district from that local government.

At that point, the note explained that this guide allowed generating urban programs in which strips of pedestrian mobility and furniture were defined, which includes the trees, lighting system, benches, garbage and equipment of public services properly located and considering all the security criteria.

Another participant Juventino Quiroz, of the  Panama Cyclists Movement, said that the sidewalks of the project are wide and expected to correct the issue of bikeways, “In Panama, we never had bicycle lanes and this is a first step,” he said.

On Friday the SPIA and the Municipality are visiting the long-delayed urban improvements in Via Argentina and  Calle Uruguay Street, that have led to the closure of many businesses.