Rurrenabaque lies on the east bank of the Beni River. It is expected that a bridge will be built over the river to connect with the town San Buenaventura on the west bank. The planned bridge is a part of a regional road project, promoted as a way to improve the economic relationship between the two towns, which has been described as stunted because of limited and expensive transport by boat. An argument in favor of the proposed bridge is that the shallows and strong currents at the San Buenaventura section limit the types of boats and motors capable of crossing the stretch of river, representing an investment beyond the means of most individual Bolivian families; a bridge would allow San Buenaventura to enjoy the same accessibility as that enjoyed between Rurrenabaque and the neighboring town of Reyes. As of 2017, the bridge had not yet been built. A possible reason for the delay is that the local population resists the planned scheme for road and bridge placement. Researchers cite economic and social harm for the area because of environmental damage from the road project and the planned location of the bridge, which would reduce the town's appeal as a destination/gateway for eco-tourists.