SOME BRIDGES on the eastern side of the island are on shaky ground, with many of them falling apart, with large cracks in their supporting pillars, and missing enforcement concrete beams and columns.

Minister of Works John Boyce said yesterday in a telephone interview that a programme of repairs was in the works and would be done on a "priority basis".

"It is now after the Estimates, and a lot has been brought to my attention, so I will be discussing them with my team as soon as possible," he said.

When the WEEKEND NATION team took a half-day tour of several bridges in St Andrew and St Joseph yesterday, one description applied to most – dilapidated.

An elderly woman living a stone's throw from Bruce Vale, St Andrew, said the nearby bridge had severe cracks in its support pillars.

"And if you go over yonder, at the far end of the bridge, that is where you will see one of the pillars wash 'way. Down there so, you can see a big crack in that other pillar.

"Some people came here last year December and said they had to close the road but needed permission from the landowner to cut a temporary road to the bus stop. Since then I don't know what happen," she said.

Seniors Road, just past Baxters, and Thompson Bridge in St Andrew, also have similar problems with cracks in the pillars, as well as exposed steel and missing beams and columns.

Deep erosions

In St Joseph, Melvins Hill Bridge looked in similarly bad shape, while the century-old Joes River Bridge was in even worse disrepair, with very deep erosions, missing uprights and major cracks and holes in the supporting wall.

A resident, who requested anonymity, said 18 months ago [officials from] the [Ministry of Public Works] came and asked for a piece of my land for expansion and I said go ahead.

"They said they had the culvert part already, but Government has changed since then; so I don't know what will happen. Up to last week somebody knocked over my wall."

Chief Technical Officer in the Ministry of Public Works, Philip Tudor, said five bridges were identified to be fixed this financial year, including Melvins Hill and Joes River bridges in St Joseph and Thompson Bridge in St Andrew.

"It will take millions to fix each bridge," he said. "Melvins Hill Bridge has to be demolished, but we have to provide an alternative route for people to pass. We have looked at Mellowes/Frizers Road, but it has to be rehabilitated first. The earliest we are looking to start is June.

"Joes River is also one that we will be working on, but we would like to start as early as possible before the rainy season starts," he said.

The others slated for repair this financial year are Endeavour Bridge in St Thomas, and Possum Bridge on the border of St Philip and St George.

* tracymoore@ nationnews.com