Wereh issues warning after damage to bridge

By JEFFREY ELAPA
TRUCKING companies going over the Nebilyer Bridge in Western Highlands into resource-rich Hela and Southern Highlands are allowed only 10 tonnes of cargo each, Works Secretary David Wereh says.
Wereh issued the warning after a truck carrying a crusher from Southern Highlands to Western Highlands damaged one of the main beams of the 60-year-old bridge this week.
He said the truss bridge over the Nebilyer River near Mt Hagen and part of the Highlands Highway was now restricted. Only a maximum of 10 tonnes were allowed to pass over at any one time until repairs were done in the next two weeks.
Wereh said Works Department officers were stationed at the Togoba junction, controlling load to make sure no heavy vehicles passed over as the bridge was likely to collapse.
He said PNG Springs was engaged to give a full scope of the bridge and attend to the strengthening of the beams.
“We have a serious safety issue. The normal weight average at all the highways is 45 tonnes,” he said.