Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 24, 2017 News
By Jacquey Bourne
The 49- year old bridge which links Wismar and Mackenzie is slowly falling apart; it is a disaster, an accident waiting to happen.
The bridge which is managed by the Linden Town Council and Linmine Secretariat is in a deplorable state, especially the middle span. Maintenance, according to the custodians, is done every other Thursday. Traffic crawls across the bridge and one can feel the bridge shaking.
Regional Democratic Councillor, Charles Sampson, is convinced that the bridge should be inspected by engineers to assess how suitable it is for continued usage under the present condition.
“I cross the bridge every day and I observe that the bridge is sinking. Over the past ten months I have seen the bridge sink on the Wismar side. It sank about a little over two inches and it is worrying because I am not sure whether the limits of the bridge are being taken seriously.
“Sometimes you see some things crossing the bridge that go beyond the 30-tonne limit, so I wish to advise as a member of the public the people who control the bridge – the Municipality and the Linmine Secretariat to ensure that a proper engineering inspection be done on the bridge, even the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Civil Engineering Department to inspect the bridge properly especially the centre span to determine if better cannot be done in terms of how a centre span is constructed.”
Sampson noted that when traffic reaches the centre span there is a general slowdown and there is a lot of vibration. He recommended that the engineers do what is necessary to allay the fears of the people when they are crossing the bridge.
In answer to a question about the allocation for a new bridge in the 2015/2016 budget Sampson said, “I know that a very long time talks have been going on about putting another bridge alongside that one, but it has become so necessary now; because you just have to go there in the morning to see the big build up of traffic. I can’t say at this time what is the status of the new bridge.”
Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira, said Region Ten is expanding in terms of population and more young people are purchasing their own vehicles. The bridge cannot accommodate the influx of traffic so during the rush hour there is a huge build up of traffic.
He believes there should be another bridge. In terms of the condition of the existing bridge Figueira said that a feasibility study is being done.
“I am not sure what is the status with regards to the feasibility study. The Government has an open door policy where the citizens can have access to the information. The intended purpose of the bridge is to ease the flow of traffic. Serious consideration must be given for a new bridge or construction of a stronger or a more modernized bridge to facilitate the flow of traffic.”
Councillor at the Mayor and Town Council Lennox Gasper said that Regional Chairman Rennis Morian told him that part of the requirement for the feasibility study is some environmental impact.
Gasper is beckoning the authorities to do something now about the bridge because lives and innocent lives will be lost.
“We need some action now, we don’t want to wait for anything to happen, we need action now. I did see a document that there are plans for the expansion of the Highway as well as the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge.
“There have been talks for eons; in the 2015/2016 budget there was a leaflet circulating but I don’t think it was in the budget document per se. I did see it on a leaflet which meant that they were accessing a loan or a grant.”
“As a councilor, I am begging the Government of the day, I am begging the M&TC, I am begging the RDC all and sundry to get onboard and let us rectify the situation and stop wasting money.”
Gasper said that more than $400,000 monthly is being paid to a contractor to weld sections of the bridge. He expressed concern that there is serious corrosion at the bottom.
“I was told that it always shaking but if it used to shake before it shaking more now and this ain’t a floating bridge and with all those pillars that supposed to be keeping up that bridge it shouldn’t shake.”
Gasper called for all relevant parties to be proactive and not reactive.
The United Kingdom Infrastructure Fund (UKIF) gave Guyana $16B for infrastructure works of which $2B was allocated for a new bridge in Linden. To date nothing more has been heard about that money or the project.
Lindeners are asking when will the new bridge be constructed; if it will be when a terrible accident has happened.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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