Lifts on Overhead Footbridges Will Cater For The Elderly, Disabled

Lifts will be installed on over­head footbridges for persons with disabilities and the el­derly, says the Fiji Roads Author­ity (FRA).

Chief executive officer Kamal Prasad said the provision of the lifts would be introduced in phase two of construction.

Construction of the foot­bridges are expected to start in September.

It may take about three months to construct one foot­bridge, depending on the weather.

“In phase one, we will have the stairs and have provision to install the lifts where the stairs are during phase two,” Mr Prasad said.

“We want to get it installed within the first few months after phase one."

"We can have a normal lift, or a side lift on the stairs, but we haven’t con­firmed which one we are going to use."

“We will have lifts for the disabled people and the elderly and we also want to make sure the lifts do not get abused, which is our main concern.”

He said there were no plans yet to address the possible abuse, but the onus was on the public to act and use the lifts responsibly.

“Our designs are getting finalised. We have iden­tified the four main footbridges that we want to deliver and then there will be provisional ones."

"After Suva, we will progress towards Nausori and then Lami,” Mr Prasad said.

The proposed footbridges will be installed at Queen Elizabeth Drive, near the Sacred Heart School bus bay, another near TappooCity in Suva, the Flea Market, and one near the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lami.

The idea of the over­head foot­bridges is to allow pe­destrians to cross safely over the roads, with­out the need for vehicles getting caught up with traffic lights and zebra crossings.

FRA also plans to place red light cameras at busy intersections to prevent motorists from blocking intersections.

This, Mr Prasad said, would be done progres­sively.

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