Tonight the replacement of the Belcan and Swing bridges are at their initial stages with piles already going into the ground to create the temporary bridge at the Swing bridge. Today we spoke with the Chief Engineer, Evondale Moody who provided us with the latest updates for the bridges:
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer - MIDH
"At this point in time, we have awarded a contract for the replacement of Belcan Bridge that has been awarded to Cisco Construction Limited. Today, I understand that the contractor is working on the installation of piles for the temporary bridge that will be constructed just behind Save-U that will bring that temporary bridge from Evergreen Street across to the Phillip Goldson Highway. So works are expected there today. He had already started with preliminary works because we had to prefabricate piles and other technical members for the structure. And so those were being done in advance. And now that those piles are ready to be installed, the contractor is preparing to do that today and then going forward. So the idea is that we want to try and complete that temporary structure within the next three to four months. And then we will be able to shift traffic to that temporary structure and then start with the removal of the existing Belcan Bridge. So we're doing that in anticipation to reach to that point where we could start the official construction of the main structure. In respect to the swing bridge, the procurement process will start in Japan very shortly for the engagement of a contractor for the main bridge. However, we have engaged a contractor locally to build a temporary structure, which will span from Hydes Lane going across to Regent Street West. Those works will also be implemented by Cisco Construction, who was the lowest evaluated bidder. And so we will build a new structure at that location that will be able to accommodate two lanes of traffic in both directions."
"And so we anticipate that works will start there within another week or so as well with the construction of that temporary bridge. Once the temporary bridge is completed, which we anticipate that will take us about three to four months as well, then we will start with the demolition of the old swing bridge, which we anticipate we want to do sometime in August, September, which will take us up to the end of December."
