Bridge design over soon

The detailed design for the construction of the new Labasa bypass bridge and Labasa Town bridge are in its final stages and expected to be completed by September end.

This was revealed by Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) to this masthead assuring Labasa residents that the programme would be delivered in phases with project procurement scheduled for the next phase.

Concerns have been raised by residents, commuters, drivers, business people, visitors and developers of the essential need for a bypass road and bridge.

Tui Labasa, Ratu Jone Qomate, expressed his concern for the delays in the bypass road and the deteriorated Labasa Town bridge which he claimed had neared his viability levels.

However, FRA acknowledged community expectations and concerns regarding timing of visible works and informed stakeholders that projects remain on tract within the approved program sequencing and implementation framework.

The bypass bridge and town bridge upgrade form part of the FRA Critical Bridges Replacement Programme, which identified 40 priority bridges for staged implementation nationwide.

Labasa Chamber of Commerce and Industries president, Vinesh Dayal, had described the bypass road issue as a bottleneck situation where traffic flow is halted at key points of entry and exit to and from town.

The FRA said upon completion of the final detailed design for the bypass bridge and town bridge, the projects would proceed to contractor procurement in accordance with its organisation’s processes.

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