Work to Begin on 11 Bridges This Year

Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport and Works, Joseph Hibbert, has said that construction work is to begin on 11 bridges this calendar year, under the R.A. Murray Bridge Programme.
These are located in Milk River, Black River, Bog Walk, Sevens, Johnson River, Martha Brae, Queens, Gordon Town, Waterloo, Angels, and Worthy Park.
In addition, the programme has another 10 bridge sites for design and construction, with design works already underway. The sum of $760 million has been proposed to fund phase one of the R.A Murray bridge programme during this financial year.
Making his presentation in the 2008/09 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on June 12, Mr. Hibbert said that islandwide bridge construction and maintenance would be undertaken in two main programmes, which were established to deal with the replacement of some of these structures.
“In respect of the Mabey and Johnson programme, seven bridges are currently under construction,” he said, pointing out that $465 million has been proposed to fund bridges under the programme during the financial year.
In addition, a locally-funded bridge construction programme is proposed to construct 16 bridges. In the area of new construction, the Dry River Bridge in Portland and the Doc’s Pass Bridge in Clarendon are on-going.
“Under the Bridge Maintenance Programme, support is planned for the rehabilitation – sand blasting and painting – of six bridges. They include the Hope River Bridge, at Harbour View, Kintyre, Oaks Number One and Oaks Number Two Bridges in Clarendon; Kupius Bridge, also in Clarendon; and Roselle Bridge, St. Thomas,” he pointed out.
The State Minister also informed that under various internationally-funded programmes, many other bridges spread out across almost all parishes, are slated for construction or maintenance work between this and the next financial year.