The Ministry of Roads and Highways, acting through the Ghana Highway Authority on May 13th began major maintenance works on the Butre River Bridge on the Ewusiejoe section of the Takoradi – Agona Nkwanta road of the N1 Highway in the Western Region.
The bridge had developed major faults, posing serious dangers to motorists who use the stretch.
Interacting with the media, the Project Manager at the Bridge Maintenance Unit of the Ghana Highway Authority, Ing. Nyantakyi Baah explained that the maintenance had become necessary because the expansion joints on both sides of the bridge had become damaged, resulting in a heavy vibration when heavy vehicles used the bridge. Beyond that, a deep crack had developed in the first transverse beam, posing a real danger to motorists.
“We are repairing the cracks in the first transverse beam and after the repair of the crack, we would also work on the expansion joints, as well as the approach slabs to the bridge, which is also damaged”, he said.
The maintenance work was undertaken by the Bridge Maintenance Unit of the Ghana Highway Authority under the sponsorship of the Government of Ghana and comes at an important time.
The Butre bridge is a vital link between the seaport of Takoradi with the rest of the Western and Western North regions and Ghana’s neighbor to the West, Cote D’Ivoire.
The bridge was scheduled to reopen at 10:00 am on Sunday, May 14, however, due to circumstances unforeseen, it was postponed to 10:00 pm.
Meanwhile, the Takoradi to Agona Nkwanta road of the N1 Highway remains in a deplorable state. Motorists and residents along the stretch though happy about the maintenance work done on the bridge demanded that the entire stretch be fixed.
Source: ISD
