WITHIN the next 10 days, residents of Kintyre and sur-rounding communities in rural St Andrew will be able to travel to their homes by way of a brand new bridge.

The structure serves as a permanent replacement for a ford, which was severely damaged during heavy rains late last year.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing Richard Azan, who toured the bridge on Monday, expressed satisfaction at the pace and progress of the construction work.

Azan told journalists the contractor is working within the $100-million budget and the given schedule to complete the approximately 200-foot, two-lane bridge and associated works.

Some $40 million of the amount is to be spent on river training and construction of a walkway for pedestrians, which will take place after the bridge is in place.

“The major thing is to get the bridge up so that in case we have rain, and you know that we are in the hurricane season…, we are rushing so that at least motorists and pedestrians can use it in the meanwhile,” Minister Azan said.

“We are asking for the time being that adults don’t allow the children on the bridge because it is not complete. I wouldn’t want the children to be on the bridge,” he added.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Works Agency EG Hunter explained that the project is being undertaken as part of the Jamaica De-velopment Infrastructure Pro-gramme/Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme initiative.

“This one got started late in the day, but thankfully, we were able to execute most of the works without any adverse weather impacts. We look forward to the completion of this job within the next 10 days,” he said.

Construction worker and Kintyre resident Peter McKenzie explained that he and the other crew members are busy “putting in the steel and casting so that vehicles can drive on it”.

“This bridge is a real benefit to the community because without it, people can’t come and go when rain falls and the river comes down,” he said.

St Andrew Eastern Member of Parliament (MP) Andre Hylton, who was on the tour, said that residents of Kintyre and Tavern are ecstatic about the new bridge and he expressed gratitude on their behalf to the Ministry as well as the contractor.

“For all of this week… there has been a celebration both in Kintyre and Tavern that at last the bridge is up,” Hylton said.

He noted that the project has been incident free and residents of both communities have worked very hard to get it done. Approximately 300 persons have benefited from employment under the project on a rotational basis.

Meanwhile, East Rural St Andrew MP Damion Crawford also noted that the presence of the bridge will cause residents to worry less during the rainy season as well as allow them to earn from renting property to university students.

“It shows what infrastructure can do to a community. It opens up the opportunities and it reduces the threats from natural disasters and no longer can they claim that this is a disaster area that people can’t live here anymore. So we are very happy and pleased the people are very happy, and we express gratitude on their behalf,” said Crawford, who is also junior minister in the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment.

The Kintyre Bridge is the most central route used by residents of communities such as Kintyre, Tavern, Hope Flats, Cosmo Mews, Clarke Street, St Joseph’s Road, Bedward Pastures and surrounding areas.

— JIS