Wilson Pinheiro Binational Bridge, Border bridge between Cobija and Brasileia, Bolivia and Brazil
The Wilson Pinheiro Binational Bridge is a 154-metre cable-stayed bridge over the Acre River linking Cobija, Bolivia, with Brasileia, Brazil. Its deck carries a roadway and pedestrian walkway, and the structure is held by cables anchored to pylons. It is also known in Spanish as Puente de la Amistad.
The 154-metre cable-stayed bridge, built at a cost of nearly two million US dollars, was inaugurated on 11 August 2004. The presidents Carlos Mesa of Bolivia, Lula da Silva of Brazil and Alejandro Toledo of Peru attended the ceremony. The project formed part of the Initiative for the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure of South America. In February 2012 the Acre River overflowed, flooding Cobija and Brasiléia and cutting off access to the bridge.
The bridge takes its name from Wilson Pinheiro, an environmentalist from Brasileia, and represents cooperation between the two nations. It connects communities that share a river and daily interactions across the border.
Soldiers stationed at the bridge do not check travelers' documents or goods, so crossing is uncomplicated. Most border traffic is processed at another crossing a little over a kilometer further south. In February 2012 the Acre River overflowed and cut off access to the bridge.
The bridge's Portuguese name honours Wilson Pinheiro, an environmentalist murdered in Brasileia. Most cross-border traffic is processed at another crossing just over a kilometre south, so this span stays comparatively lightly used. The project formed part of the Initiative for the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure of South America.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,653 contributors worldwide.