K80m bridges set for March opening

by KESSIE TADAP
WORTH more than K80 million, the Japanese aid-funded Bougainville coastal trunk road project of 15 bridges will be completed by March next year.
Work on the project started last year and, according to project consultants Chodai Consortium Ltd, they were on schedule.
The company said seven of the bridges had been completed and would be handed over to the Bougainville government by Dec 14.
The bridges are at south Bakanovi, Bove, Tuve, Barurui, Ratavi, Kasiava, Iraka, Koreva Kaskurus, Rotaovei, Warakapis, Irung and Rawa.
The bridges vary between 20m and 75m long.
All bridges were built using a span steel girder superstructure, while on most the steel pipe pile foundation was used as opposed to the spread foundation.
The construction of the bridges included proper drainage, stone support and sealing part of the roads where they joined the bridges on each end.
Japan International Cooperation Agency spokesman Yoshikazu Taniguchi said agreements would also be made for the maintenance and upgrade of the roads and bridges.