REDUCING the width of the lanes on the Corredor Norte and Corredor Sur has raised safety concerns among engineering professionals with one describing the proposed  change  as  “madness” .

The tender $25.6 million tender  for the highway reconfiguration published last week is being evaluated by users, engineers and  professional organizations.

The much touted  project is focused on expanding the highways to six lanes, with an exclusive lane for buses along both roads during peak hours and is forecast to dramatically reduce traveling time for Metro buses.

Ulises Lay, a former president of the Panamanian Society of Engineers and Architects (SPIA),  said that reducing  the size of the existing lanes from 3.50 meters to 3.30 meters, was “madness”.

The project will also require using the existing shoulders, and the speed limit  will be reduced.

According to Lay, the  current dimensions of Panamanian roads follow  international standards and the reduction could increase the number of accidents.

Meanwhile, Gastón Chatán, ex-­coordinator of the SPIA Road Commission, argued that this type of improvisation puts the population at risk.