The reconstruction of the Bruce Vale Bridge in St. Andrew is back on track after work slowed for some weeks to allow the engineering team to redesign a critical section of the bridge.
According to George Holder, the Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW) Consultant on the Scotland District Road Rehabilitation Project, unsuitable ground conditions were discovered following excavation, even though geotechnical surveys were initially conducted. “The major delay has been the redesign of the foundations of the abutments to the bridge. When we excavated to see what the materials were really like, we found that despite the geotechnical investigations that were carried out, the actual ground beneath the foundations was not as anticipated. This called for a redesign of the foundation,” he explained, adding the team was happy with the new design.
Mr. Holder said that demolition was ongoing in preparation for the next phase of work, which includes piling to create a firm foundation for the bridge. Noting gabions were built earlier this year to enhance stabilization, he pointed out that in order to facilitate the gabion work, the river was temporarily diverted using large spirolite pipes that were secured in place with boulders and covered with marl. However, the pipe diversion was washed away following extremely heavy rainfall some weeks ago in the area.
Nonetheless, Mr. Holder indicated that since the country is now in the rainy season, other protective measures were put in place to safeguard the upcoming piling and foundation work, so currently there is no longer a need to divert the river. “We anticipate easy progress. We anticipate a nine to ten-month process to completion of construction. At the moment, we do not see any reason why we cannot achieve this. However, as construction in the Scotland District goes, there is always something lurking around the corner. If we meet a situation where we have to make adjustments, we will certainly inform all the residents and the government as to what we have to do,” Mr. Holder assured, while asking residents for their continued patience during the work.
The bridge at Bruce Vale in St. Andrew was closed in 2021 due to structural failure, resulting in it no longer being able to carry load. It is being reconstructed by the China National Complete Plant Import and Export Corporation (COMPLANT) Limited. Before bridge construction commenced, the Bruce Vale Link Road, a temporary bypass road, was opened in June 2024 to accommodate pedestrian and vehicular use. The link road connects the districts of Baxters, Bruce Vale, and Sylvans Village/Dark Hole.
The new bridge, which was designed by the COMPLANT team, was constructed and tested in China and is presently in Barbados, where the team has begun preparatory works for its installation. Bruce Vale Bridge is one of the 16 active construction sites under the Scotland District Road Rehabilitation Project, which is funded by the Exim Bank of China.
