Linden Bridge project causes concern among users

Jul 10, 2009 News

Chairman of the Linden Interim Management Committee, Orrin Gordon, has expressed his concern about the present phase of work being conducted on the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge.
Gordon said that his main concern is that the community receives work of the highest possible standards, and added that he will remain vigilant to ensure that this happens. At present, pier one, on the eastern bank of the river is being sandblasted in preparation for painting, and to facilitate these works an enclosure is being built around the work area to help keep out the water.
Rehabilitation works are also expected to be carried out on the midsection of the bridge (top section). Linmine engineer, Emmet Alves who is tasked with overseeing the works, said that the contractor responsible for effecting repair works is fabricating removable ’decking’ to facilitate the flow of traffic even as those works are being carried out.

Both Alves and Gordon pointed out that later as the work progresses on the midsection of the bridge, schedules for periodic closure of the bridge will have to be worked out, to facilitate these works, and the relevant information would be disseminated to the public.
Work on the bridge has been on going for several months now, amid periodic breaks, and commuters have been voicing their frustrations, in no uncertain terms.
The facility has become a major cause of concern, not only for Lindeners, but also for business persons from remote interior locations, most of whom are involved in the logging industry and are forced to use it daily, to get their lumber to Georgetown and other parts of the country.
Especially hard on them, was the 28-tonne mandatory weight limit, which became compulsory, because of the advanced corrosion of the mid section of the bridge.
The 28-tonne weight limit has now been increased to 40-tonnes, following representation on behalf of the loggers.

IMC Chairman Orrin Gordon had warned, that given the state of the bridge the 28-tonne limit should not be exceeded until such time that repairs were complete. However, although all the repairs have not been completed, two piers— four and six— and the lower mid section of the bridge were reportedly sufficiently rehabilitated to raise the weight limit.
In addition to the $114 M, which had initially been allocated for the rehabilitation works on the bridge, it was later estimated that a further $130 M would be required to complete the project.
Gordon had earlier pointed out that initially, only the midsection of the bridge was earmarked for rehabilitation, but upon closer examination of the structure, as work progressed, it became evident that additional works would have had to be done to other sections of the bridge.
To date the bridge has not been completed, and Gordon in a letter to Minister Robeson Benn, who is responsible for Works and Hydraulics, said that the bridge is too important to be treated lightly, bearing in mind its importance in connectivity between the southernmost parts of the country and the coastland.
He drew attention to the fact that trading from this area accounts for more than 20 per cent of the nation’s GDP.

Latest News

Linden Bridge project causes concern among users

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 7th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Allicock, Amsterdam named in GBA training squad 2025 Caribbean Boxing...

Interesting transfers, Clubs secure firepower...

North East beat Back Circle B; set up semi...

DCC executive laud Savory, Imlach for champion...

Dozens of young chess players participate in...

Shai Hope claims Green Belt and Dispatch of the...

Features/Columnists

Forward to the past

OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus

Process, procedure, political people and public servants

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Linden Bridge project causes concern among users

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 7th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]