Bridge collapses in Portland

The Craig Mill Bridge along the Buff Bay to White Hall main road in Portland has suffered a dramatic partial collapse, triggered by a truck overloaded with stones attempting to cross the closed structure.

Deemed unsafe and closed in 2018, the bridge had long been off-limits to motorists.

Stephen Shaw, manager of communication and customer services at the National Works Agency (NWA), said that the bridge was not supposed to have been used by motorists. The bridge leads to the communities of White Hall and Belvedere.

A detour road was constructed in the vicinity of the bridge for uses by motorists. The structure, built at a cost of $14 million, involved the laying of culvert pipes and the use of boulders to create a high ford.

Shaw noted that the detour road sometimes become impassable during flood rains. He said persons are also being reminded not to attempt to use this section of road where the river is flooded.

Meanwhile, Shaw said that physical barriers were installed at both ends of the now-collapsed bridge, but the barricades were repeatedly removed by unknown individuals, exposing the structure to continued, unauthorised use.

Shaw said that the NWA intends to replace the bridge and that the process to having this done has been under way. The bridge is one of six that the NWA has on its priority list for replacement.