DELAY BRIDGE OPENING: FRA CHIEF
Fiji Roads Authority chief executive officer Jonathan Moore said the opening of Tamavua-i-Wai Bridge was delayed after identifying ‘deep soft spots’ in the base of the structure’.
As a result, a ‘slight realignment’ had to be undertaken, he said. He said the authority had targeted to complete works at the end of June to early July this year but there were some anomalies identified.
Mr Moore said works to rectify the issue was being carried out and the authority anticipates works to be completed at the end of the month.
“Once this new bridge is complete, all the existing foundations, substructures and superstructure will be demolished. This will be in preparation for the second bridge to be built within this alignment. “The second Tamavua-i-Wai Bridge will also be a two lane bridge which will allow four lanes between Lami and Suva corridor in the near future.”
In an earlier interview, Mr Moore had also said that because of unfavourable weather conditions and the restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic works on the bridge were halted for some time. The new bridge will be a two lanereinforced concrete deck bridge. The new structure is expected to ease traffic movement and at the same time reduce inconvenience for the travelling public.