Puente Chacabuco, Concrete bridge near Concepción, Chile

The Puente Bicentenario Presidente Patricio Aylwin Azócar, formerly called Puente Chacabuco, is a freight bridge over the Biobío River between Concepción and San Pedro de la Paz. It is actually two parallel viaducts about 10 metres apart, each carrying two lanes in one direction, plus a cycle lane and a pedestrian path. It stands 100 metres downstream of the demolished Puente Viejo.

Construction started in 2010 with a temporary structure, followed by completion of the permanent bridge between 2013 and 2018. The new crossing was built downstream from earlier bridge locations that once served the area.

The bridge development sparked discussions within the Aurora de Chile neighborhood, established in the 1920s, regarding property rights and community preservation.

The bridge is a freight-only concession crossing, so private cars are not its intended users; it carries trucks of up to 45 tonnes. It runs parallel to the Ruta 160 toll road, and the link to Avenida Chacabuco was still unfinished in 2024, with completion estimated for 2026. Pedestrians and cyclists use the separate walkway and cycle lane on the permanent structure.

The site sits roughly 100 meters downstream from the previous bridge location and represents the fourth known crossing structure built at this section of the river. This layering of old and new infrastructure shows how the region has developed through successive building phases.