Repairs to Lethem’s main access bridge to cost at least $17M

Apr 14, 2021 News

The truck at the collapsed section of the Pirara Bridge.

Kaieteur News – The repairs to the Pirara Bridge, located on the Linden-Lethem trail, Region Nine, that was damaged last Saturday, is expected to cost at least $17M to repair.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar.

The Pirara Bridge is the main access bridge to Lethem and on Saturday evening, a heavily loaded truck, GPP 7704, caused one-third of the 200 feet-long bridge to collapse, leaving several vehicles, including a fuel tanker transporting fuel for the Lethem Power Company (LPC), stranded.
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, on Sunday confirmed that emergency repairs will be done on the damaged section of the bridge. Yesterday, during a telephone interview with Minister Indar, he stated that a contractor was recommended for the award of the contract on Monday afternoon, after a ground assessment was done on the damage to the bridge. He added, due to the extent of the damage, the contractor will have to replace 16 piles and the estimated cost to repair the damaged section of the bridge will be approximately $17M or $18M.
While the bridge is being repaired over the next two weeks, a temporary bypass was built for light vehicular traffic only. Minister Indar yesterday pleaded with drivers of the heavy-duty trucks to reduce or monitor the volume of load they are transporting in or out of interior regions. The Minister added that heavily loaded trucks can damage the trails and the bridges, which the State has to repair at high costs and these accidents, also affect the economic activities of the area.
Kaieteur News had reported that after the bridge was damaged, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Lethem had put a boat system in place to transport persons across the Ireng River, which flows beneath the bridge.
According to reports, prior to this incident, the bridge was damaged during November 2019.

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