Damaged Bagotville bridge assessed

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure will be meeting with officials of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and the Bagotville Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to discuss the rehabilitation of the damaged Bagotville Access Bridge.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Jerry Vaughn, in an invited comment, said that apart from the proposed meeting a team from the ministry has already conducted an assessment of the damage and that efforts are underway to have estimates prepared to facilitate works to the structure.

The eastern side of the Bagotville, West Bank Demerara access bridge remains closed to vehicular traffic after sections of it started to sink on Thursday evening.

The Guyana Police Force in a press statement had said, “Only motor cars and other light vehicles are allowed to use the bridge with caution. Heavy-duty vehicles will be diverted via Canal Number One Polder and La Parfait Harmonie respectively until the situation is rectified.”

Stabroek News understands that it was residents who noticed that the middle section of the eastern side had started sinking owing to two damaged supporting beams.

This resulted in officers from La Grange Police Station having to divert all traffic to the western side of the concrete bridge which led to a slowdown of traffic.

Residents said that in addition to the bridge being around for a number of years, the heavy rainfall and the constant traversing by heavy-duty trucks had contributed to the sinking.