Traffic resumes in Lae

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By PISAI GUMAR
TRAFFIC flow to and from Lae, Morobe, resumed yesterday after a one-lane temporary bridge was constructed over the section of the highway washed away by floodwaters last Friday.
Works Department provincial manager Kingsford Kasen said police were controlling the flow of traffic over the bridge.
Kasen told The National that the damaged section was part of the Lae-Nadzab four-lane highway funded by the Government.
It took workmen about 48 hours to put in place the temporary bridge to restore traffic to and from Lae.
The section of the highway was washed away at around 5.30pm last Friday, cutting off access to Madang and the Highlands provinces.
People and vehicles were stranded on either side.
The temporary bridge was completed around 10.30pm last Sunday.
But the first vehicle was allowed through at around noon yesterday.
Kasen said the department and China Railway International (CRI) would discuss the construction of a permanent bridge.
“Provincial Works cannot go ahead to do the scope of work to construct a permanent bridge,” Kasen said.
“It requires discussions and understanding with CRI based on the immense need along this highway.”
Kasen could not disclose what the repair work cost. “It should take us two to three days to complete the costs as we had engaged various companies,” Kasen said. The companies  included Mapai Transport, Express Freight Management, Classic Civil and Constructions, HBS, Pacific Engineering and Hornibrooks NGI.