Minister Stephen Tsang of the Ministry of Public Works and Spatial Planning (OWRO) announced during a site visit to Tibiti that maintenance work on the road between Tibiti and Witagron will begin immediately. He also said that bridge repairs will be accelerated. In the meantime, precautionary measures have been put in place. Trucks with a single‑axle load exceeding five tonnes are currently prohibited from crossing the Tibiti Bridge. Tsang added that a legal framework is being developed to allow timber transporters to contribute to road and bridge maintenance through tolls. “We are already working on the legislation and expect it to be finalized early next year,” he said. Residents had previously raised concerns with the government about heavy trucks carrying timber blocks across the bridge, fearing that the traffic could damage the structure and potentially lead to collapse, as had happened with a bridge near Witagron. The poor road connection has also caused significant disruption; children have been unable to attend school for a week and a half because bus services between Tibiti and Witagron have stopped. In response, residents erected a road barricade, which was later removed after mediation by Tsang. The contractor responsible for maintaining the Para‑Tibiti road segment has been instructed to address the section between Tibiti and Witagron as well. Additional materials will be applied to restore road usability in certain areas. A tender for the repair of both the Witagron and Tibiti bridges had already been issued. According to the minister, financial obstacles have been resolved, and once the cabinet approves the project, the contractor could begin work within a month. The underside of the Tibiti Bridge is in poor condition.
Article source: De Ware Tijd | Image credit: De Ware Tijd