Bridge Collapse Vallarta Area (live in, airport, moving, estimated)

[SarahSal]

This is a *local* issue but thought those who live in, or may be coming to the area should know that the bridge over the River Ameca (dividing the states of Nayarit and Jalisco - and Puerto and Nuevo Vallarta) apparently collapsed sometime between 4 and 5AM this morning. There was NO traffic moving north or south on this major road as of receipt of this e-mail at 9AM this morning. If I learn any more I'll post it.

Thankfully for us, we just flew back to the states last night! For travelers to the airport, this could be a real calamity as there are few, if any secondary roads to get from Nuevo and the northern coast except HWY 200.

[SarahSal]

Finally located a 'news' story (with graphic pics) on the bridge collapse. Apparently several people were on the bridge when this occured and they were rescued but one family is still missing.

Puerto Vallarta, Ameca Bridge Collapse | Vallarta Escapes

[SarahSal]

Bridge collapse update and temp solution - for some.. Water shuttles!
This demonstates just how dire the situation is. This is a huge population area w/ an estimated 350,000 people in the area and an estimated 3 million visitors who come to the Vallarta area each year. The road connecting the 2 Vallartas and its north/south traffic is a major four-lane highway - the only highway in many cases to get from point A to point B - and the only highway at this point for towns north of the airport to travel south. I can't think of any other bridges - even farther out in the country - that cross the Rio Ameca.

This is surely got to be the head traffic engineers' worst nightmare come true - in both Nayarit and Jalisco!

______________ From Bucerias' Valiene..
Because of the collapse of the bridge over the Rio Ameca, today,
Vallarta Adventures will be providing free water shuttle service from
Paradise Village Marina to API Maritime Port in PV.
The schedule is a follows:

Departures from
Departures from
Paradise Village Marina
API Maritime Port
11:00 12:00
13:00 14:00
15:00 16:00
17:00 18:00

[SarahSal]

As rain continues to pound the Vallarta area, more bridge collapse and major road (Hwy 200) closures are reported. Several good videos and articles on this disaster in the link below, including an interview with a man who survived plunging into the Ameca River when a section of that bridge collapsed.
http://www.pvpulse.com/en/puerto-vallarta-news/ameca-bridge-collapses

[PhotogGal]

I have been getting regular updates from PVPulse, my friends on Facebook and on a couple PV message boards. I cannot believe how much damage there has been from PV up to Sayulita!

The roads seem to be getting cleared up and some bridges repaired, but there are now many people flooded out of their homes and in need of the basics of living. It's heartwarming to read how people come together in times like this to help each other out.

The chances for more rain are great this month. I just hope it's done raining when I get there in late October.

[sayulita]

I've been reading other forums and Yahoo groups and it sounds like things are starting to move again. The remaining lanes of the Ameca bridge are carrying both north and southbound traffic and other (limited) alternatives are being used in San Pancho and Sayulita. What a mess though, and a headache for those trying to get around the area. At least it's the off season, so locals won't be as badly affected by the lack of tourist dollars.