The Cinta Costera

The last trips we took to Panama before our final move allowed us to experience the traffic jams, one way roads that were blocked off, and all the detours and delays that this construction caused. I did read that the previous administration had been pressing hard to get this project finalized. Even though most Latinamerican countries are characterized by "manana" that administration wanted it completed before they left office. This was a huge undertaking, next to the expansion of the Panama Canal and was very complicated. This was the expansion of Avenida Balboa!

Now it has basically been completed and although it does not take care of solving all the traffic problems it has been a tremendous help in crossing from one end of the city to the other in a faster and easier manner.

On the left side of this photo you can see six lanes of the existing Avenida Balboa and everything to the right was water. What looks like a road near the water is a bike path and walkway with a pedestrian walkway shown in the middle. That has been completed since we arrived in Panama and traffic seems to move smoothly and easily.

The middle section houses several plazas, benches, basketball courts, soccer fields, public parking which make it even more enjoyable and friendly. They are now working just as hard to complete the portion that will take the Cinta Costera into Casto Viejo. They project this to be completed and open to the public in the next two months - time will tell, but this will also help alleviate the traffic heading into Casco Viejo on a daily basis.