Assembly of main section of the integration bridge between Paraguay and Brazil is completed

With the insertion of the last segment in the middle of the superstructure, the construction of the main section of the integration bridge between Paraguay and Brazil was completed on Wednesday, connecting both ends, announced the Itaipu Binational Unit.

The new international road link across the Paraná River, the second to be completed by the Paraguayan and Brazilian governments, is funded by this binational entity with a total value of US$84 million.

The border crossing will connect the cities of Presidente Franco and Foz do Iguaçu and will be used exclusively for the transit of heavy vehicles to relieve traffic on the International Friendship Bridge.

Itaipu’s official report states that a total of 37 metal and concrete segments were installed, 18 on each bank of the Paraná River, completing the 760-meter bridge.

The central segment, also called the keystone, is 5.75 meters long and weighs more than 20 tons. Its assembly required a complex process with strict technical control, which was also influenced by favorable weather conditions, such as a day without rain or strong winds.

The lowering of the piece, which weighs several tons, was carried out with the help of cranes and took several hours.

Once this process is complete, the precast slabs and asphalt layer of the section will be laid, and the protective fencing and lighting system will be erected, which is expected to be completed this November.

After the completion of the physical connection, the development of the main area of the bridge and the accesses from the Paraguayan side in the Presidente Franco district, Alto Paraná department, are still pending.

A terminal with a capacity of 1,000 trucks is planned for this primary zone to ensure the exclusivity of this type of vehicle at the future border crossing.

The access works also include new asphalted roads that will allow trucks to bypass the urban area of Ciudad del Este, the capital of the department and the tourist and commercial area on the tri-border.

This construction work, which began in 2019, is expected to be completed by the end of 2023 with the inauguration and official opening of the new bridge, according to the report.

More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times.