About 80pc of bridges seen as too old and dangerous

By JEFFREY ELAPA
ABOUT 80 per cent of bridges in the country are aging and now posing a threat to the travelling public, Works Secretary David Wereh says.
Wereh is waning road users to take precautions when travelling along the highways with loads exceeding 45 tons.
He said repairs and upgrading of the deteriorating bridges were deferred and there was a backlog of maintenance work because of lack of proper funding over the years.
Wereh said a concerted effort was required to ensure maintenance.
“The deteriorating infrastructure is a result of lack of programming and maintaining plan that has never been supported with funding over the years,” he said.
“Some of the deteriorating bridge infrastructures are 50 to 60 years old and have never been replaced and maintained, causing a threat to travellers.”
Wereh said in addressing the backlog maintenance and deteriorating infrastructure issues, the Department of Works was working within confines of the National Road Strategy framework, a plan that captured and prioritised critical roads network crucial for Papua New Guinea’s growth and development.
He said a bridge replacement programme has become the key part of the National Road Strategy and the Government was committed to funding the long term programme which was key to improving the current situation.
“It is important that we remain committed to long term programmes to gradually alleviate the growing pressures and threats from ageing bridge and road infrastructures,” he said.
Under the Asian Development Bank and the European Investment Bank, they are running a bridge replacement programme, replacing single-lane bridges with high-standard steel bridges along the main highways, Wereh said.
He said under the programme, more than US$70 million (about K200 million) was used to fund 27 permanent weather – resistant bridges in the country.
The programme at present is at the Ramu-Madang Highways, three contracts in the Sepik Coastal Highway, Hiritano Highway, Magi Highway and the longest bridge in Northern under the Australian aid programme.