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APPLETON BRIDGE OPENED

Minister Pickersgill (in blue shirt) among residents at the opening of the Appleton Bridge.

Works Minister, Hon Robert Pickersgill on Friday, April 20, 2007 headed a team which opened the Appleton Bridge in St. Elizabeth.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Pickersgill note that the erection of the bridge is part of the wider Jamaica Bridge Development Programme. "In fact, assistance with the construction of this bridge is part of this administration's thrust islandwide o replace sixty-one bridges under the Mabey and Johnson and R.A Murray Bridge Programmes," he said.

The Appleton Bridge is under the jurisdiction of the St. Elizabeth Parish Council but it was built by the Wray and Nephew Group. It was built with the technical assistance from the National Works Agency which supervised its erection, prepared designs, Bills of Quantities and certification of works.

Scope of works for the Project included the following:

  • Preparation of soil replacement foundation
  • Construction of two concrete re-inforced abutments
  • Launch and installation of a Compact 200 Modular, 140 foot long
  • Construction of 600 metres of approach roads
  • Surfacing with Double Surface Dressing and
  • Slope protection using rock fill and natural vegetation

Construction of the Bridge was undertaken in two phases. Bridge abutments were completed in Phase One under a separate contract costing just under $3M. Phase Two consisted mainly of the launching of the Bailey Bridge. The expectation was that it would have been re-opened for the beginning of the 2006 sugar crop and to road users, however the project contract was extended due to delays caused by rain. Consequently, the project was completed early in 2007.

In highlighting the fact that the load capacity of the Bridge is nine tons per axle, the Minister used the opportunity to warn persons to pay attention to the restriction. "It cannot be that persons overload vehicles to cross the structure, only to appear later bemoaning the bad condition which results from breaching the regulation," he said.

Others at the ceremony, included Hon. Roger Clarke, MP for the area, Mr. Kern Spencer, PNP candidate for the area as well as officials from the NWA and the Ministry of Housing, Transport, Water and Works.