THE National Works Agency yesterday announced the closure of the Ward River Bridge, which links Morant Bay to Port Morant in St Thomas, to facilitate its replacement to be carried out over the next four months.

“The new bridge will be approximately 17 metres in length and will be constructed along the alignment of the old structure. It is being replaced at a cost of $57.5 million,” the NWA said in a press release yesterday.

“Resulting from the closure, small vehicles travelling from Morant Bay to Port Morant will be diverted onto the Curtis Bottom roadway, then turn right onto Style Hut main road and back onto the Port Morant roadway. Large vehicles and trucks travelling in the same direction will use Curtis Bottom roadway, turn left onto Style Hut main road, continue to Bath and back onto the main road. The opposite will obtain for vehicles travelling in the opposite direction,” the NWA added.

The NWA is also advising motorists and pedestrians to obey all posted warning signs and the instructions of flag personnel during the construction period.