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| Panama's President congratulates FCC for building Central America's first subway  The President of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, accompanied by the Minister for Canal Affairs and Executive Secretary of Panama Metro, Roberto Roy, inaugurated Central America's first subway system on the afternoon of Saturday 5th April. In the presence of Esther Alcocer Koplowitz, Chairman of FCC, and Juan Béjar, the company's Vice-Chairman and CEO, President Martinelli praised the quality of Metro line 1, which, he noted, "was built in record time".Panama Metro Line 1 was built in just over three years at a cost of 2.009 billion dollars (about 1.5 billion euro). The consortium that was awarded the contract in 2010, comprising FCC and Brazilian company Odebrecht, delivered the project on time and is currently building a 2.2-kilometre extension plus an additional station. During the three-hour inauguration, which was attended by thousands of people along the route, between Albrook and Los Andes stations, the President of Panama announced imminent request for proposals for a second line in two sections. In addition to Esther Alcocer Koplowitz and Juan Béjar, President Martinelli was accompanied on the route by the Chairman of FCC Construcción, Fernando Moreno, the company's General Manager, Miguel Jurado, and Manager for Central America, Víctor Alberola, as well as the entire team that worked on the project. The new transit system crosses the city from north to south, from Albrook national bus station to San Isidro station. The 15.9 kilometre route has 14 stations, seven of which are underground, six overground and one in a cutting. The Secretary of Panama Metro, an agency of the National Government that commissioned the construction and will manage the new transit system, estimates that line 1 will serve one million people while reducing traffic congestion in Panama's capital city. The trip between the two terminal stations takes 23 minutes. write your comments about the article :: © 2014 Construction News :: home page |