Rio Hondo bridge construction to begin soon

The construction of a new bridge and the expansion of the existing "Rio Hondo" International Bridge connecting Belize and Mexico will begin by December 2006, according to Mexico's Ambassador to Belize, H.E. Arturo Trejo.
Ambassador Trejo said that the US$10m needed to carry out the infrastructural work was released by the Mexican Government two weeks ago.

In February of 2005, the Government of Mexico officially announced that they would fund the entire project as a "gesture of friendship and cooperation", during a bi-national meeting between Belize and Mexican officials.

While the existing Rio Hondo Bridge will be re-furbished and modified to make way for four lane traffic, a new bridge will be constructed 1.5 kilometers from the Belize border.

Ambassador Trejo was speaking at the groundbreaking of the Centro Escolar México, a technical and vocational school construction project being carried out by Government of Mexico in the Corozal District at a cost of BZE $1.4m.

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Excellent move and not a moment too soon. The old bridge area is a congested traffic jam daily as Mexicans flow into the freezone and the huge border casinos and Belizeans flow into Chetumal. Some really overpowering casinos at the Belize border there...