As an alternative measure, authorities have enabled reversible lane flow on the Centenario Bridge. This measure is maintained during morning and afternoon hours to try to alleviate the traffic flow. The situation has generated long lines and delays in different points of the country. Users report travel times of several hours, as well as the lack of public transportation in areas such as Panamá Oeste, Chorrillo, Nuevo Chorrillo, and Valle Hermoso, where many people have had to walk or resort to informal transportation to reach their destinations. During the day, several users denounced the increase in fares for informal transportation, known as "pirates," with costs reaching between 4 and up to 8 dollars, amid high demand and a shortage of buses. Other passengers indicated that they had to leave since early morning to be able to arrive on time at their jobs. Authorities reported that they remain operational on the main roads and reiterated that the reversible lane measures will continue while the structural condition of the bridge is defined. It is expected that in the coming hours an official report will be issued that determines if the Bridge of the Americas can be reopened or if it will remain closed. The explosion of three tank trucks loaded with fuel, registered yesterday afternoon in the La Boca sector, keeps the Bridge of the Americas closed while authorities wait to carry out an inspection to determine if the structure can continue to operate safely. The total closure of the bridge has caused a strong collapse in mobility, as some 37,000 vehicles pass through this route daily.
