For those of us living in the Coronado and Gorgona area, a trip into Panama City often means crossing one of the country’s most iconic landmarks: the Bridge of the Americas. But have you ever stopped to wonder about its history? This vintage photo captures a truly unique moment in time—the bridge as it was being built!
This fascinating image shows the construction of the Bridge of the Americas in the late 1950s or early 1960s. The construction of the bridge was a monumental project that officially began on October 12, 1959. It was a crucial undertaking, as it would be the first permanent road bridge to span the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, finally connecting the two sides of the country that were previously linked only by ferries and limited-capacity swing bridges.
The bridge was designed by the American civil engineering firm Sverdrup & Parcel and was built by the United States at a cost of $20 million. After nearly three years of construction, it was officially inaugurated on October 12, 1962, and was originally named the Thatcher Ferry Bridge. However, it was quickly renamed the “Bridge of the Americas” (Puente de las Américas) by the Panamanian government.
From its completion in 1962 until the opening of the Centennial Bridge in 2004, the Bridge of the Americas was a key part of the Pan-American Highway and the only major road crossing of the canal. When it first opened, it handled around 9,500 vehicles per day. By 2004, this number had skyrocketed to an impressive 35,000 vehicles per day, highlighting just how vital this connection had become. Today, it remains a critical piece of infrastructure, with tens of thousands of vehicles crossing it daily.
Looking at this picture, it’s incredible to see how much has changed. The Bridge of the Americas is a testament to the ingenuity and effort that went into connecting Panama’s Pacific coast. It’s a daily reminder of the country’s rich history and its continuous development.
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