‘Unsafe’ St Thomas bridge to be demolished
ST THOMAS, Jamaica — The National Works Agency (NWA) says the Ward River Bridge, located on the main road between Morant Bay and Port Morant in St Thomas, is to be demolished.
In a news release today, the NWA said the structure was rendered unsafe and is being replaced under the multibillion-dollar Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP).
Manager, Communication and Customer Services at the NWA, Stephen Shaw, said that as of November 23, traffic will be re-routed onto a temporary bailey bridge, constructed to facilitate the demolition.
Shaw said that the new bridge, which will sit on a pile foundation, is expected to be completed within six months at a cost of just over $57 million. The NWA said the structure will be equipped with pedestrian facilities and will accommodate two lanes of traffic.
Motorists and pedestrians are advised to obey the posted warning signs and instructions of flag persons during the life of the project.
