Keith Woolford Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 (edited) Last time I posted about this unfinished highway being completed, the thread got hijacked by people with other ideas about government priorities. Perhaps this article from La Estella explains why community residents are anxious to see it finished. Not the best translation, but it's close. With plans in hand, inhabitants of Potrerillos in the province of Chiriqui, requested to be given a final date to complete the five kilometers of road and the construction of a bridge in the community of Palmira, which would complete the Ruta Sur and interconect the high lands of the province. The villagers took advantage of the presence of the President of the Republic during the opening events of the Fair in Boquete, last Friday to express their demands. "We have come to ask the President for a definitive date for the start of this work," said Carlos Kattegell president of the Committee of the civil society of Boquete and producer of the highlighted area, who added that they have already heard on four occasions that the project will proceed, but they had not been told when. "We do not want listen five, or six, or a dozen times that it proceeds' ...'we want deeds, not words," expressed the villager. He also said that the work is necessary for the amount of items produced in the region and because the student body that resides in the area walk long distances to reach various educational centers. The highway stretch concerns the community of Palmira Abajo down to connect with Potrerillos Arriba (in Cochea Arriba), going through the canyon of the Rio Tzingal. For his part, Román Salinas, producer of sheep and goat meat and leader of the civil society of Potrerillos Arriba, said that the road would help to promote the required production, since it would shorten the distances from the field to the collection centers. "What we need is to build the road and thus have term happy for the inhabitants of this land," said. Salinas said having the viaduct would shorten from 28 to 8 kilometers the trip for producers of coffee and specialty coffee from Potrerillos to the Beneficios located in Boquete. The Ruta Sur goes from Cuesta de Piedra in the district of Bugaba, crosses Santa Rita in the district of Boqueron, continues by Potrerillos corregimiento of Dolega and exits to the Via Boquete. The Section comprises 35 kilometers, of which is missing an installment in the region of Palmira about 5 kilometers. The inhabitants recommended to the Government, that if you do not have the resources, to appeal to the cooperation of the Southern Command of the Armed Forces of the USA, who carry out community works in various countries of Latin America. "We do not want to make any protests or closures, we only want a solution to our problems," he argued. During his speech the President Juan Carlos Varela, made reference to the construction of this project, but did not mention any date for the start of the work. http://laestrella.com.pa/panama/nacional/moradores-potrerillos-piden-fecha-definitiva/23916544 The President, Boquete's Mayor, and the area's Diputada all seem to be working well together and the community can only benefit from those relationships, imo. Edited June 4, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I can fully understand their interest and as well their concern that this has been put off forever. My concern would be the opening of the road to criminals coming and going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 Not sure that isolating communities is the answer anyway. The concept may have worked for the Lone Ranger but seems to baffle the Policia Nacional. 'look Tonto, there's only one way out of town so we can head them off at the pass' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 That road is long overdue, it would make the movement of goods much easier for the farmers. Yes, it would give a new route to the thieves, but they seem to make it to where they want to go anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 O.T OK Keith...so why did they call Tonto tonto and why didn't anybody catch how demeaning that was. Tonto seemed to be the brains behind the brawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 (edited) 46 minutes ago, Brundageba said: O.T OK Keith...so why did they call Tonto tonto and why didn't anybody catch how demeaning that was. Tonto seemed to be the brains behind the brawn. ask Kemosabe? Edited January 22, 2016 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 8 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said: No kidding. ..and what's up with the stretch pants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSailors Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 3 hours ago, Keith Woolford said: ask Kemosabe? Yah..better name. Kimo Sabe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WryAwry Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 A much more practical approach to trans-provincial travel would be the construction of twin gondola lifts to the top of Baru -- one from Boquete, and one from Volcan. This will serve nicely until the teletransporter has the bugs worked out. Properly engineered gondola cars should have plenty of room on roof racks to accomodate coffee bags, suitcases and boxes, and travelling rooster crates. Be sure to bring a jacket or sweater, and don't forget the ear plugs! Read it in the papers, 15 years ago. wryawry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted November 28, 2016 Author Share Posted November 28, 2016 Hope this doesn't include the budget for completion of the Ruta Sur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 This is the long awaited completion of the Ruta Sur. Ministry of Public Works Tenders the Contract for more than 9 km of new highway in Boquete With an approximate length of 9.70 kilometers, the public works ministry (MOP) will construct a new roadway to connect the communities of Potrerillo Arriba and Palmira Abajo, in the district of Boquete, province of Chiriquí. The bidding for best value of the project for the "study, design and construction of the road Potrerillo Arriba and Palmira Abajo" was made today in the Meeting Room of the MOP, where five contractors presented their proposals. Prior to opening the bidss, officials proceeded to open the envelope of the Ministry who had estimated the sum of B/.13,659,691.26 for the work. Then proceeded to verify that the proponents had submitted together with its proposal, the bond of proposal to ensure the signing of the contract and the maintenance of its proposal. It was explained to those present that the proposals will be registered before going to the Evaluation Committee, which is formally constituted. The new roadway to build starts in the Félix A. Lara Centre in the corregimiento of Potrerillo Arriba and end at the school at Palmira Abajo. The statement of position stipulates that the contractor must include in their designs to the splices with existing tracks and make the designs, drawings and additional specifications necessary, the works that would be detailed in these documents and that are involved in this area of the project. The work consists in topographical studies, environmental, soils, geotechnical, slope stability, hydraulic, hydrological, geometric design, design of the structure of the pavement, design of drains, design of storm drawers, design of vehicle bridges, design of relocation of existing utilities, design of road signs, in addition to the construction of all the works required that comprises the following minimum activities: casetas type D, cleaning and desraigue, removal of trees, relocation of barbed-wire fence, laying of pipes of reinforced concrete type III for the crossings of the road, cross material for bed, excavation Not classified (cut/fill), cleaning and shaping of channel, ditches paved type trapezoidal, piping for underground drains, reinforced concrete for headers, reinforcement steel for headers, zampeado ( For output and entries of tubes), among others. In addition all jobs of environmental mitigation which are required. The structure of the minimum pavement for must have a minimum thickness of 0.15 meters of material selected, 0.25 meters base layer, geotextile separator where needed and primer, all this on a dirt formed and a CBR minimum of 5%. The pavement will be of concrete Asfaltico of 0.10 meters thick. In addition, the contractor must design and build a catchment for rainfall and four vehicle bridges: the first (18 meters), second (18 meters) and third arm (20 meters) on the Cochea river, as well as on the river Quisiga (40 meters). http://www.mop.gob.pa/se-licitan-mas-de-nueve-km-para-nuevo-camino-en-boquete/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 Work is now in progress on the new road from Potrerillos Arriba to Palmira Abajo. This is the 'missing link' of the Ruta Sur which will connect Boquete to Volcan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted November 11, 2017 Author Share Posted November 11, 2017 Progress on the last section of the Ruta Sur is slow but moving along. We went over there about 6 weeks ago to have a look. It will be a beautiful drive when completed. Construction of the Ruta Sur in Chiriqui The final link of the Ruta Sur, a new road constructed by the Ministry of Public Works between the districts of Boquete and Dolega, in the province of Chiriqui, presents a 15% advance, giving to thousands of families better, fast and secure access to these productive areas. This new route shortens the distance and allows for greater mobilization of the inhabitants of the communities of the El Banco , Montaña, La Mesa, Brazo de Cochea, Mameyes in the Corregimiento of Potrerillos Arriba in Dolega as well as the communities of 4 Caminos, Palmira Abajo, Palmira Centro and Palmira Arriba in Boquete. Now the producers of coffee, oranges, lemons, beans, peppers, chili peppers, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes and the livestock sector in the region will be able to sell their crops more quickly and with less costs. For Eliécer Guerra, producer of coffee, the construction of this road is the best thing that could have been provided to the productive sector of this region of Chiriqui since beforehand, they spent hours trying to get vehicles laden with products to go to market out of the mud, and that led to losses. "In my farm 150 people of different communities work and sometimes we had to work repairing the roads to get production, instead of harvesting, coffee because if we don't we're losing the product," said Guerra. Similarly, Merardo Serrano, producer of oranges, is happy because he'll be able to sell their produce in a more direct fashion and save on the costs of production. The Ministry of Public Works developed this work through the Accidental Association C & C Potrerillo, starting its construction from the Centro Basico Felix A. Lara in the corregimiento of Potrerillos Arriba and ending in the Palmira Abajo School in Boquete. The work that has a length of 9.70 kilometers at a cost of 14 million 939 thousand 940 balboas, and seeks to strengthen the ways of agricultural production by helping the communities and producers have their crops arrive quickly and in good condition to the different markets of the country, as well as herders ability to move their animals in a more secure way. It should be noted that, this project includes the construction of four bridges for vehicles with the following extensions: the first with (18 meters), the second (18 meters) and the third arm (20 meters) above the Cochea river, as well as on the Quisiga river (40 meters) and a collector of rainfall; in addition 36 months of maintenance. http://www.mop.gob.pa/avanza-la-construccion-de-la-denominada-ruta-sur-en-chiriqui/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted November 12, 2017 Share Posted November 12, 2017 Doesn't look like a whole lot of progress since the last photos, but there are lots of trucks and heavy equipment working away. Couldn't go too far down the road, the voice of reason, A.K.A. my wife Jocie said no..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted November 12, 2017 Share Posted November 12, 2017 This is on the Potrerillos Arriba side... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted November 12, 2017 Author Share Posted November 12, 2017 John, I think we went further than this point, but it turned into a sea of mud. The route is through bottom land. "find the guard dog in the pic" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted November 12, 2017 Share Posted November 12, 2017 Yeah, we watched him for a while. Hope he was just guarding and not stuck, although there was another dog just above him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted November 12, 2017 Share Posted November 12, 2017 Keith, are they pushing through from the Palmira side as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted November 13, 2017 Author Share Posted November 13, 2017 Nothing happening on this side that I’m aware of, but I haven’t been over there for a while. Last time I looked there were just some grade markers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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