Juan Pablo II Bridge

The Juan Pablo II Bridge, also known as "Puente Nuevo (New Bridge)", is a major bridge in Chile, located in The Greater Concepción, the second largest metropolis (conurbation) in Chile (With Santiago being the largest).

Juan Pablo II Bridge
Juan Pablo II Bridge, view from Concepcion
Coordinates	36°49′26″S 73°05′30″W
Crosses	Bio-Bio River
Locale	Concepcion & Talcahuano, Greater Concepción and San Pedro de la Paz, Greater Concepción
Other name(s)	Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) (Since 1974 To 1987)
Characteristics
Total length	2.310 m. (7.578 ft.)
Width	21.9 m.
History
Opened	April, 1974
Location

This bridge was finished in 1974 as the longest bridge in the country (and still it is), and connects 3 of the 10 districts of the metropolis, Concepcion and Talcahuano with "San Pedro de la Paz", through the Bio Bio River (second longest river of Chile).

Structure

This Bridge was designed by E.W.H. Gifford & Partners from England. It is 2.310 m. (7.578 ft.) length. It is formed by 70 parts of 33 m. each one and with a width of 21.9 m. (including 2 passerby corridors of 1.6 m.)

The Name

When it was finished in 1974, this bridge had not a name, but it was called by people as "Puente Nuevo" (The New Bridge), because it was the second bridge across the Bio-Bio River after "Puente Viejo" (Old Bridge), actually closed to the cars traffic. In 1987, Pope John Paul II visited Chile and Concepción, and the bridge, as a tribute, was named "Juan Pablo II" (John Paul II).

Social Impact

This was a major impact for the society of Concepción, since it had better quality compared with "Puente Viejo", which was deeply injured by the biggest earthquake in Human History (Concepción-Valdivia in 1960). And it is shown by a fact, the population of San Pedro de la Paz was increased three times in just a few years, becoming this district in a place full of houses and buildings