ISLANDERS RAISE CONCERN OVER BOCA DEL RIO BRIDGE
November 17, 2011
Concerns about the bridge in the Boca Del Rio Area of Ambergris Caye are being raised as it is showing signs of rapid deterioration that could possibly be a safety risk for daily commuters.
Maria Novelo reporting...
"Five years after the installation of the islands first bridge, the Boca del Rio bridge is waging a losing battle against corrosion. The galvanized steel concrete bridge is showing deteriorating signs of corrosive effects due to marine salts. Love News spoke with councillor in charge of streets and infrastructure Severo Guerrero to learn what is being done when it comes to remedial work on the bridge. Guerrero says that while the damage to the bridge is visible on the pedestrian side of the bridge, a short term plan to board up the areas of concern will be put in place. Guerrero further stated that the monies collected at the toll booth will be used to repair the crumbling infrastructure. In 2006, residents of the once sleepy fishing village were accustomed to this man powered pull ferry as seen here. But with the growing pains of an island and the demand for accessibility to connect San Pedro Town and a rapidly booming north part of the island was necessary. Back then, the San Pedro Town Council teamed up with one of San Pedro's wealthiest men, Barry Bowen to open the island's first ever bridge. The bottling magnate Barry Bowen personally financed this project, oversaw construction and sponsored the design and engineering with the premise that Bowen would provide the financing for 5 years at a rate of 12 per cent. At the time, it was foreseen that the bridge will pay for itself through ten dollar tolls collected from golf carts per round trip. According to Councillor Severo that loan had been paid off and that monies collected at the toll will be used to finance the repairs. For the time being the Council has announced its plan to close the bridge to vehicular traffic for the time being, however long that would be. Meanwhile, Severo says that the Council is looking at a long term solution to the bridge problems, but that it would take several months to get the corrosion-free materials shipped to the island. Meanwhile, slabs of wooden boards have been put in place to patch up the iron-clad holes as seen here. The triple span modern bridge, measures 120 feet long and 23 feet wide, was constructed on schedule, taking only four months to build and reportedly costing $750,000.00. It is made of galvanized steel and at the time of its inauguration was reported that it would withstand all the salt air and coastal weather conditions. Other factors contributing to the problem are aging, increasing daily traffic, increasing truck weights, more frequent vehicle overloads, and insufficient maintenance and repairs." The San Pedro Town Council informs the General Public that the Boca Del Rio Bridge will be closed to all vehicular traffic (including golf carts) starting on Monday, November 21 and will re-open on Monday, November 28. The release ends stating that only pedestrians will be allowed to cross the bridge during this period. If work should be delayed the public will be advised and that the Council regrets any inconveniences caused."
LOVEFM
AmbergrisCaye.com 
