THE NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED 240-foot Bailey bridge over the Yallahs Fording in St. Thomas, will assist in the return to a free flow of traffic between the Corporate Area and the eastern parishes, says Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.
The bridge which cost $16 million, was constructed in a record three weeks by the National Works Agency (NWA) aided by the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).
The Prime Minister told reporters at the Yallahs Fording, during a tour of the project, that he had instructed that the bridge be built in quick response to the destruction of more than 200 feet of the Yallahs Fording by the rains of September this year.
"This work has now been done and traffic not exceeding a certain weight (30 tons) will be allowed to use this bridge. For the time being vehicles beyond that weight will have to go via Easington. This is intended to be a temporary solution."
He added that already designs had been completed for the construction of a permanent bridge that will span the entire fording, which is more than 600 feet. Construction cost is estimated at $180 million, he said.
