President Nayib Bukele has inaugurated two state-of-the-art cable-stayed bridges in the eastern department of San Miguel, marking a historic investment in infrastructure that directly connects long-neglected communities to economic and social opportunities.
The San Antonio Bridge and the Carolina Bridge—together representing $24.5 million in public investment—span the Torola River and link municipalities including San Antonio del Mosco, Carolina, San Luis de la Reina, and Torola. These projects replace decades of unfulfilled promises from past administrations, offering safe, modern crossings that will serve more than 6,000 residents directly and benefit thousands more indirectly.
Beyond improving transportation, the bridges are designed to stimulate local commerce, tourism, and investment. Each structure features modern lighting, pedestrian walkways, tourist plazas, and even designated areas for extreme sports such as bungee jumping, positioning them as both functional infrastructure and regional attractions.
The government has also announced an additional $12.9 million in social projects for surrounding municipalities, including new schools, community centers, recreational facilities, and health clinics. This brings the total investment in the region to $37.5 million, underscoring a commitment to closing historical gaps in public services.
“These bridges do more than connect roads—they connect families to schools, patients to hospitals, producers to markets, and entire communities to the rest of the country,” President Bukele stated during the inauguration.
The San Antonio Bridge, 157.6 meters long with 87.1-meter pylons, and the Carolina Bridge, 179.8 meters long with 92.4-meter pylons, are among the few cable-stayed structures of their kind in Central America, placing El Salvador alongside Panama and Costa Rica in terms of advanced bridge engineering.
With these projects, the Bukele administration continues to position Eastern El Salvador as a region of growth, connectivity, and opportunity, moving decisively away from a legacy of abandonment toward a future of shared development.