Work to Repair Appleton Bridge to Start Tomorrow

The National Works Agency (NWA) will tomorrow (Sept. 18) begin work to repair the Appleton Bridge in Northeast St. Elizabeth, which collapsed last month.
State Minister for Housing, Transport, Water and Works, Richard Azan, who made the announcement during a tour of the constituency on Friday(Sept. 15), said that the project would be undertaken at a cost of $9 million, with funding from the NWA, Appleton Estates, and Member of Parliament and Agriculture and Lands Minister, Roger Clarke.
He informed that some of the material for the work was already at the site and the remainder of the equipment would be brought in from the NWA on Monday.
Mr. Azan said that while the contractors have been given eight weeks to complete the 150-foot bridge, “the construction of the bridge may take a shorter time, but we have to take into consideration the inclement weather”.
He urged drivers of heavy units to avoid travelling on the bridge and to use alternative routes.
In terms of other projects to be carried out in the constituency, Mr. Azan informed that the Ministry would be upgrading the drainage system at the Locksley Beadle Early Childhood Educational Institution in Brighton.
In Borewood, a bridge and a culvert are to be built, which will provide access to the communities of Thornton and Williamsfield. The State Minister noted that “they will commence investigations next Monday to determine what needs to be done to complete this task”.
He also informed that “roads in the community were under construction and very shortly, routine maintenance work will be carried out in the parish”.
Mr. Azan, who was accompanied on the tour by the Member of Parliament, looked at roads, bridges and drainage systems, which are in need of urgent repair.