By Erica James-King, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
PLANS FOR the construction of the new Yallahs Bridge, in western St. Thomas, are "progressing steadily", says Dr. Fenton Ferguson, Minister of State for Transport and Works.
"All the funding is in place for the Yallahs bridge," he said at Friday's official launch of a Bailey bridge in Black River, St. Elizabeth.
"All the relevant information which Cabinet had requested on that bridge (Yallahs) has been supplied," Dr. Ferguson said.
But while not disclosing a price tag for the new bridge to replace the Bailey bridge, which was washed away in flood rains a year ago, he noted that funding would be made available under the Mabe Johnson (U.K.) bridge building programme from which, he said, the island has been benefiting.
Dr. Ferguson said that all the relevant agencies had already signed off on the information and design for the bridge. "It is now left up to Cabinet to make a decision on the matter",
Dr. Ferguson also announced that the Black River Bridge in St. Elizabeth was officially closed last Friday to facilitate the rehabilitation of the present structure. The rehabilitation work is not expected to exceed $22 million.
To accommodate the travelling public, a Bailey bridge has been put in place.
