Cuscatlán Bridge (1998)
Cuscatlán Bridge Puente Cuscatlán | |
|---|---|
The Cuscatlán Bridge crossing the Lempa River | |
| Coordinates | 13°36′39″N 88°34′02″W / 13.61083°N 88.56722°W |
| Carries | Pan-American Highway |
| Crosses | Lempa River |
| Locale | |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 1,348 feet (411 m) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Rizzani de Eccher |
| Inaugurated | 1998 |
| Replaces | Cuscatlán Bridge |
| Location | |
Interactive map of Cuscatlán Bridge | |
The Cuscatlán Bridge (Spanish: Puente Cuscatlán) is a bridge in El Salvador that crosses the Lempa River. The bridge, opened in 1998, replaces a previous bridge of the name that was bombed during the Salvadoran Civil War in 1984.
History
In 1942, the Salvadoran government inaugurated the original Cuscatlán Bridge that crossed the Lempa River. On 1 February 1984, the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) bombed and destroyed the bridge during the Salvadoran Civil War, isolating eastern El Salvador from the rest of the country.[1] The Ministry of Public Works built a temporary ford across the river to allow continued access to eastern El Salvador.[2]
In 1998, the Salvadoran government inaugurated a new Cuscatlán Bridge. The new bridge is 1,348 feet (411 m) long.[1] It was built by the Italian construction firm Rizzani de Eccher and received funding from the Japanese government. The bridge cost US$9 million (188 million colones) to build.[3]
References
- ^ a b Erazo, Ronald (24 June 2024). "Puente Cuscatlán, Un Símbolo de Progreso en El Salvador que fue Derribado con Carga Explosiva Durante el Conflicto Armado" [The Cuscatlán Bridge, a Symbol of Progress in El Salvador that was Destroyed with Explosive Charges During the Armed Conflict]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "Construyen Nuevo Paso en el Lempa" [They Construct a New Pass in the Lempa] (PDF). La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). 3 January 1984. p. 3. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ Giralt, Ana (28 May 1998). "Puente Cuscatlán de Nuevo en Pie" [The Cuscatlán Bridge Stands Again]. El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2026.