MOTORISTS APPEARED UNAWARE of the closure of the temporary road at Joe’s River in St Joseph.
As a result of the adverse weather experienced on Wednesday, the Ministry of Transport decided to close the road.
The persistent showers made the road difficult to navigate for both motorists and pedestrians.
The temporary road was put in place following the collapse of part of the bridge there several weeks ago.
When the WEEKEND NATION team visited the area yesterday, several motorists were observed having to turn around as large mounds of dirt and heavy machinery had blocked the entrance to the temporary road.
Meantime, the Ministry of Transport and Works said work on the strengthening of Joe’s River Bridge was still in progress and it expected that, weather permitting, the area will be passable to traffic from the end of July.
The ministry started repairs to the bridge in January but was forced to close it in April after heavy rainfall undermined the structure. The closure allowed for the shoring up of an abutment wall, which had shown early signs of collapse, with a gabion retaining wall.
Deputy Chief Technical Officer (Operations) Philip Tudor explained that widening and improvements to the bridge would continue following its reopening to traffic. The area would be reduced to one lane to facilitate the ongoing work. (LK/PR)
