Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino announced the preparation of the Master Plan for the David-Frontera-Panama train, the main infrastructure project promoted by his cabinet. This project will be overseen by the American company AECOM, which will determine the specific route and path of the train, as well as the requirements for the work and establish an estimated cost within six months.
“The train is the most ambitious and important infrastructure project that I want to lead in Panama,” the president emphasized. “It has a significant concept, which is the territorial integration of the country, focusing on achieving the development of many areas through which the route must pass. Additionally, there is an important aspect of tourism expansion with sectors that have development potential.”
Regarding the project’s scope, the president stated that it will operate for both passenger and cargo transportation, with a significant tourism component and the potential to extend to the rest of the Central American countries. AECOM (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Operations, and Management), in coordination with Panamanian government entities, will be responsible for establishing the most efficient route, minimizing environmental impact while maximizing the cost-benefit ratio.
Panamanian authorities explained that the Master Plan will include technical studies, conceptual design, demand analysis, budget estimates, and implementation strategies. At least 70 bridges are expected to be built along the route, including a crossing over the Panama Canal.
“We at AECOM take this responsibility very seriously,” said AECOM’s executive director for the Eastern U.S. and Latin America, Bane Gaiser. “We aim not only to complete the project correctly but also as quickly as possible,” he explained. On December 26, the Panamanian government signed a US$2.2 million contract with the U.S. company AECOM USA to update the master plan for this train, which will connect the Panamanian capital with the Costa Rican border.
