---
title: "Corredor Sur expansion projected to cost nearly $300 million as Panama City traffic worsens"
date: 2026-03-30
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/03/30/corredor-sur-expansion-panama-city/
categories:
  - "Economy"
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Corredor Sur"
  - "ENA"
  - "highway expansion"
  - "Panama City traffic"
  - "public works"
---

# Corredor Sur expansion projected to cost nearly $300 million as Panama City traffic worsens

## What Happened

Panama’s Corredor Sur is no longer being treated as an occasional congestion problem. According to a report by La Prensa, the highway has become part of the daily routine for thousands of drivers in the capital, especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

The Empresa Nacional de Autopistas (ENA) is moving forward with a prequalification process for the study, design and construction of an expansion project that would add two lanes in each direction. In total, the route would grow to four lanes per direction between Punta Pacífica and Ciudad Radial.

The project is expected to cost close to $300 million, split between a more complex marine section and a land section.

## Why the Corridor Is at Its Limit

The article says traffic peaks on the Corredor Sur between 7:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., and again between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. During those periods, queues stretch from critical points such as Punta Pacífica and Llano Bonito and spill onto alternate streets.

That pressure is tied to the rapid growth of residential and commercial areas to the east of Panama City. Developments in Santa María, Metro Park, Tocumen and Brisas del Golf have increased the number of people depending on the highway to reach downtown, workplaces or the airport.

ENA says the road handles an average of 65 million vehicle counts a year, and traffic is projected to double by 2049.

## How the Project Is Split

ENA general manager Yessica Goti said the expansion will be divided into two major sections with different costs and construction challenges.

The marine stretch, from Punta Pacífica to Costa del Este, is expected to be the most difficult because it requires a viaduct and marine fill. That phase is estimated at $220 million.

The land section, from the end of the marine stretch in Costa del Este to Tocumen, will be expanded with two additional lanes up to Ciudad Radial. That part is estimated at about $80 million.

Goti said the current marine section has lanes that are only 3 meters wide and lacks shoulders. The upgrade would bring each lane to the standard 3.60 meters and include shoulders.

## What Else Could Change

Beyond widening the main road, the project would also intervene in key entry and exit points to reduce bottlenecks outside the highway. The most clearly identified points include the Punta Pacífica exit toward Vía Brasil, the Llano Bonito interchange and the Punta Pacífica-Ciudad Radial corridor.

Authorities say the marine section should cause minimal disruption because a completely new bridge would be built next to the existing one, with traffic shifted only after the new structure is ready. The land section, however, is expected to create temporary inconveniences because of the heavy traffic already using the route.

## Timeline Ahead

The prequalification process is a preliminary step before bidding. ENA said the list of prequalified firms is expected to be published on April 27, and the formal tender is expected in the second quarter of this year.

If the schedule holds, the project would be financed with ENA resources and completed in the first quarter of 2029. ENA said more than 80 interested parties attended the homologation meeting, including law firms and construction companies already active in Panama.

According to the article, if ENA’s projections are met, the expansion could reduce travel time by 47% during the morning rush toward Paitilla and by more than 50% during the evening rush toward Tocumen.