BelCan Bridge & Swing Bridge to be Replaced

On Wednesday, we reported on the deteriorating condition of the Haulover Bridge and the vehicular load restrictions that are soon to come into effect for motorists. But like the Haulover Bridge, the Swing Bridge and the BelCan Bridge are also in disrepair and are urgently in need of being replaced. Now both bridges have a turntable feature in its design and the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing is aware of the situation. Engineering Coordinator Evondale Moody spoke to News Five about the plans for those bridges.

Evondale Moody

Evondale Moody, Engineering Coordinator, M.I.D.H.

“Both of these structures need to be replaced as well. Before we went on the Christmas break we were able to obtain the detail design for both structures. So we have the completed design for the Swing Bridge and we have the completed design for the BelCan Bridge. We are just doing a design review of those two structures because those two structures are tied to the upgrading of the George Price Highway from Belize City to Belmopan; it is one package. So we have to carry out a design review in-house, within the P.E.U. and assess what the designers have presented and then give them feedback if we have any feedback. We have done that preliminary review before and so the final review shouldn’t take us that long to complete. The idea is once we have completed that review, I will present it to the ministry and that in turn will lead us to commence the process for us to acquire funds to do that project. So we are looking at five contracts, thereabout, one for the Swing Bridge, one for the BelCan Bridge and three for the George Price Highway. The George Price Highway is divided into three sections – from Albert Street into section through to Hattieville; the second contract is from Hattieville to Democracia and then the third contract is from Democracia to Belmopan. So we have five contracts that we want to implement inclusive of the two bridges that we want to replace. But in terms of priority, from our position, we believe that the BelCan Bridge is more priority than the swing bridge in terms of replacement.”