Complementary works for the Bioceanic Bridge, which connects Carmelo Peralta in Paraguay to Porto Murtinho in Brazil, are expected to be completed by the end of September, allowing traffic to open on the main structure. Engineer René Gómez, the project's construction manager, confirmed that the joining of the structure is already complete and that the remaining work includes asphalt, a bike path, lighting, and security systems.
However, full access to the logistics corridor still depends on the completion of the connecting roads. On the Paraguayan side, a 3.8 km access road connecting the bridge to the Bioceanic Route is 60% complete and is scheduled for February 2027. On the Brazilian side, the construction of a 13 km section for connection to the BR-262 highway follows an unofficial schedule pointing to November 2027.
Meanwhile, on the eastern border, the full opening of the Integration Bridge, between Presidente Franco and Foz do Iguaçu, faces logistical and infrastructure obstacles. The Director of Tax Revenues, Oscar Orué, estimated that the full opening, which would decongest the saturated Friendship Bridge, is only expected to occur in the first months of 2027. The delay is due to the need to complete the customs control zones on the Brazilian side, following a change of plan by the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to centralize inspections on its territory.
Despite this, an expanded operational phase for the Integration Bridge will begin next Monday, August 3, 2026. The new scheme includes the transport of smaller cargo, international urban passenger buses, and extended hours for empty trucks, which will be allowed to circulate from 8:30 PM to 5 AM.
This expansion, however, is facing criticism in Presidente Franco due to a lack of urban planning and official information. Municipal authorities, such as councilman Lucio Vera, denounce the absence of dialogue about changes to the direction of main roads, such as Avenida Bernardino Caballero, and the lack of a pedestrian footbridge near schools, which poses a safety risk. The intention of the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) to manage this avenue as a one-way street has already been rejected by the local municipality.