Part of Arapaima Bridge, Mandela Avenue reopens to traffic on Wednesday -Min. Edghill
Minister of Public Works, Hon. Bishop Juan Edghill says a section of the Arapaima Bridge on Mandela Avenue near the East La Penitence Police Station will be opened to vehicular traffic on Wednesday.
The Minister made this disclosure while inspecting the ongoing works there Tuesday afternoon.
“Tomorrow morning, this section of the bridge will be opened and the diversion where the traffic is currently using will go into immediate construction to move the next two lanes of this bridge.
So, at this state, they finished two lanes on this bridge and they need to do the other two lanes, so that diversion would be collapsed so they could work on the other two lanes,” Minister Edghill said.
Earlier in the day, the Works Minister inspected another section of the Sheriff-Mandela road project at Lamaha and Sheriff Streets, where a diversion is currently being constructed.
“At Lamaha Street they are putting in the diversion, so that they could be able to put in the two-lane bridge. It’s about getting the work moving and keeping the eye on the August deadline. We will make it, it’s about 70 per cent and might be above 70 per cent,” he said.
Minister Edghill said while the focus is on widening the road and upgrading the other features, attention must also be given to bridges to keep the traffic flowing.
In December 2017, the Coalition Government, through the Ministry of Public Infrastructure signed a contract with Sinohydro Corporation Limited for the rehabilitation of the seven-kilometre stretch of road between Sheriff Street and Mandela Avenue. The project had a 24-month timeline; however, several issues with the contractor resulted in delays of up to almost two years.
Since coming into office, the PPP/C Government has re-engaged the funding agency and works resumed on the project at several sections, all at the same time.
The project now has a July/August deadline.
