FOLLOWING the sudden collapse of the Strathspey Bridge on March 27, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, announced, on Thursday morning, that the bridge is now open to light vehicular traffic and commuters, thanks to swift rehabilitation efforts.

Speaking from the railway embankment at the site, Minister Edghill said the temporary structure was completed within 48 hours to alleviate the traffic chaos and restore connectivity for thousands of daily commuters.

He noted that the bridge had sustained damage after being compromised by an overloaded truck, which triggered confusion and significant inconvenience on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“We decided that rather than going into full rehabilitation and construction to build the bridge that is in keeping with the design for the expansion of the Sheriff to Mahaica project, we will put in place a temporary structure, which was done over the last 48 hours,” the Minister explained.

He applauded H. Nauth and Sons Construction and their workers for labouring through the nights to ensure the bridge was passable by 06:00 hours on Thursday.

However, Minister Edghill issued a stern warning against the use of the embankment by heavy-duty trucks, which he said have already caused significant damage to six aqua panel bridges in the past.

“No trucks should be on the railway embankment; we have already had six aqua panel bridges that were damaged by trucks. We cannot continue to have the trucks on the railway embankment, and we are appealing to everyone for their understanding,” he cautioned.

To enforce this restriction, Edghill urged members of the public to photograph any truck seen on the embankment and post it to social media, enabling the Guyana Police Force to take swift action.

The Minister emphasised that while the temporary bridge ensures safe passage for light traffic, a more permanent solution aligned with the Sheriff Street to Mahaica Highway expansion project was in the pipeline.

In the meantime, commuters are being asked to cooperate with traffic advisories to ensure the safety and longevity of the temporary structure.