BelCan Bridge Needs Urgent Replacement  

The BelCan Bridge, built by the Government of Canada several decades ago is in dire need of replacement as the structure is deteriorating over time. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development says that there is not much more work that can be done to refurbish the bridge because of its dire state. But the bridge should be replaced as soon as the government gives the go-ahead to welcome tendering for a new bridge at that location. Today, Chief Engineer with the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Evondale Moody, told News Five that hopefully the project for that bridge will begin this year.

 

Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer, MIDH

“It’s a structure that really needs to be replaced. It’s more critical than Hawksworth. Definitely, because of the structure that is there. We have seen based on the assessment that we have done that the pairs that are there are at risk because of the spalling of the concrete from the piles. And so definitely that is a bridge structure that needs to be replaced. We had initiated the procurement process for that replacement structure. However, that was put on hold by the Ministry of Finance. And so at this point in time, we are currently awaiting a decision from them that we could proceed with the construction of that structure. So it’s not within the Ministry of Infrastructure’s decision right now to go ahead. We have to wait until we get a final decision from the Ministry of Finance, but it is a structure that urgently needs to be replaced.”