Fiji invests $175m in four bridge replacements

Fiji will invest approximately $175 million to replace four vulnerable bridges along the Queens Road corridor.

The project aims to strengthen the country’s transport infrastructure against climate-related disasters and improve the movement of people and goods.

Speaking at the contract signing ceremony at the Civic Centre in Suva today, Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawawau said the investment was a strategic step towards ensuring Fiji’s critical transport infrastructure remained resilient against increasingly challenging weather conditions.

“By upgrading and replacing these critical crossings in the Queens Road corridor, Government is strengthening the reliability of key transport routes that support our economic activities across our industries and businesses, specifically also tourism and agriculture.”

The Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) has awarded two civil works contracts to a joint venture between China Railway First Group Company Limited and China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group Company Limited under the Critical Bridges Resilience Project.

Package A, valued at approximately $90 million, covers the construction of the Lami and Medraukutu bridges, while Package B, worth approximately $85 million, covers the Veiseisei and Sabeto bridges.

Ro Filipe said the project would benefit communities and the wider nation by improving the reliability of critical transport routes that support economic activities, particularly tourism and agriculture.

“For bridges, it is essential that we are resilient,” he said.

He said Fiji continued to face tropical cyclones, intense rainfall and periods of drought, exposing infrastructure to increasing risks.

“Whatever infrastructure we build is resilient, moving into the future,” Ro Filipe said.

The project incorporates flood-clearance provisions, seismic protection and other safety measures to strengthen the bridges against future disasters.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) Operational Director and Country Operations Head Matthew Rees said the project represented another important investment under the longstanding partnership between the Government, FRA, ADB and the World Bank.

“The Critical Bridges Resilience Project represents another important investment under this long-standing partnership with a shared objective of strengthening Fiji’s transport connectivity,” Mr Rees said.

He said the project would also strengthen FRA’s institutional capacity, identify climate solutions and promote gender equality and inclusion in the transport sector.

Mr Rees stressed the importance of ensuring the works were delivered safely, on time, within budget and to a high standard.

Alongside the bridge replacement programme, the Government is progressing plans to upgrade approximately 8.6 kilometres of the Queens Road corridor into a four-lane carriageway to address increasing traffic demand.

The Government expects the contractors to deliver the works in accordance with approved designs, contractual requirements and agreed implementation schedules.