The Troy Bridge in Southern Trelawny, which is currently under construction, is being touted for its resilience after remaining structurally sound despite the catastrophic flooding and hurricane-force winds brought by Hurricane Melissa.

During a tour of Southern Trelawny on Friday, Robert Nesta Morgan, Minister with Responsibility for Works in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development said this is an example of building for resilience.

“The Troy Bridge sustained significant water strength during the passage of Hurricane Melissa. But as you can also see, the bridge has stood up as strong as it was before the hurricane came. This is an example of building for resilience,” Morgan said.

He noted that while the surrounding area suffered heavy erosion and geographical changes due to the hurricane, the bridge remained unshaken, a testament, he said, to the quality of its design, engineering, and execution.

“We’re building for significant weather events. The entire section around the Troy Bridge has changed geographically, but the bridge has remained firm and strong. We’re very happy and very proud about the design, the engineering, and the execution of the plan,” he added.

Constructed at a cost of $231 million, the Troy Bridge project is now 80 per cent complete. Once finished, the bridge will reconnect communities in Trelawny, Manchester, and St Elizabeth that were cut off following the collapse of the original 19th-century structure during Tropical Storm Grace in August 2021.