Motorists, pedestrians fear Ramble Bridge

"Ramble Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down" was the tune sang by students yesterday in Ramble, St Thomas, on learning that our news team was on hand to report its deplorable state.

The bridge is used by thousands of commuters to access other remote sections of the parish.

A resident told THE WEEKEND STAR that the bridge has been begging for attention.

He said: "This bridge is just repair it want repair ya now, everything nuh have to done one time. Weh bruck out of it can patch up back, it nuh have to wait til everything do. Right now the top board them a rotten, the board dem double."

Other residents believe that the situation calls for a new bridge to be constructed, citing that the current design has been outgrown.

Another resident told THE WEEKEND STAR: "Even now the iron underneath rotten out and want change. It want some maintenance. The big trucks dem run on it, the board dem crisp and just bust dem up. Dem need a stronger bridge a Ramble cause this falling down. Dem might not act til people dead. The planning weh dem do fi build this, yuh nuh see say things and time change."

A taxi operator said: "Dem say no more than 12 tons (weight on the bridge) but that can't manage 10 right now. The truck dem risk it and drive with stone, sand, and dem thing deh."

NO ALTERNATIVE

He also expressed fear to drive over the bridge but says he continues because there is no other alternative.

"The bridge nuh ready. Passengers dem fear fi drive, kids dem afraid to walk. Like how it stay suh now, mi only see dem come tek out two piece of board and put in piece; that can't help. It nuh ready and dem need fi deal with it. It need a new bridge cause dem keep doing the same thing over and over. The part that connects the bridge to the other side rotten out. That is danger."

The residents have also taken issue with the infrastructure in the area and complain about darkness at nights.

"Ya suh dark and anybody can come and drop right over. After certain hours, you better have a flashlight. Anybody trip, likely to drop over the bridge. Is an important bridge and we need it, so it needs proper fixing or replace it with a new bridge", a resident said.

Some residents feel that nothing would be done until it's too late.

A resident told our news team: "It under nuff pressure daily and can detach any minute now. Yuh have a school bus loaded with kids that drive here and go back round to Morant Bay and to Kingston and other bus have schoolers. Dem need fi fix it and stop patch it."

THE WEEKEND STAR gathered that the bridge connects the community with other areas like Garden Piece, Village, Windsor Forrest, Richmond and Cedar Valley.

When contacted, manager of communications and customer services at the National Works Agency, Stephen Shaw, asked our news team to submit questions electronically and he would provide the responses.

Up to press time, there was no reply to our email.