Construction of the $15 million border bridge over the Sixaola River linking Panama and Costa Rica is expected to start in June, the Panamanian Economy and Finance Ministry announced late last week.

Bidding for the project is scheduled to take place in April, Omar Gomez, director of the ministry’s Central America Coordination Unit, said in a statement.

“The project, which will facilitate vehicular and pedestrian transportation at the Central American level, will be financed with resources provided by the Yucatan Program (Mesoamerican Infrastructure Fund), which will provide non-reimbursable funds on the order of $10 million,” the ministry said.

The remaining $5 million will be provided by Costa Rica, whose territory will house 62 percent of the project.

Panama, for its part, will provide permanent personnel and equipment support for the structure, the ministry said.

The new bridge – 260 meters long and 17 meters wide – will replace an existing structure which has stood for more than a century but which now represents a danger, officials said in a statement.

In addition to ample space for fluid vehicular traffic, the bridge will feature a pedestrian walkway and bicycle lane.

EFE contributed to this report.