The May Pen Bridge which recently reopened in 2011 after repairs amounting to a whopping 36 million dollars is now in dire need of repair.

The Bridge which was closed after a pedestrian suffered an accident on the main walkway in which his foot was injured and had to the rescued by the May Pen Fire Brigade. The walkways can be found on either side of the bridge with vehicular traffic traversing the centre of the bridge.  

Young Man That Was Rescued By the May Pen Fire Brigade 

 This incident has prompted the National Works Agency (NWA) to close the pedestrian walkways, because it was deemed unfit to facilitate pedestrians. Owing to the current state of the pedestrian walkways, persons are now forced to walk on the road designated for vehicular traffic, which in itself is a dangerous practice.  

Work on the bridge as started, sigh!

The closure of the bridge which links the Town of May Pen to Communities such as Mineral Heights, Juno Crescent, Hazard Drive, Canaan Heights, and other communities have impacted immensely on the persons that traverse that bridge daily (For Work, School or Play).   

The National Works Agency (NWA) has started  to carry out emergency work on the bridge. NWA indicated that the left side of the bridge leading into the town of May Pen will be fixed first, then work will begin on the right section to get the bridge back in a condition suitable for pedestrians.  

Angry May Pen Resident/User of the Bridge 

The May Pen Bridge has repeatedly undergone closures to facilitate repair work, which to me seems like the National Work Agency (NWA) has been neglectful in putting bandage on a condition that is in need of  major surgery ( More like open Heart Surgery as oppose to Bee sting). 

Closures include, but is not limited to;

April 27, 2011- Closure to repair the failed steel members, pedestrian is allowed to use the walkway.

March 29, 2012- removal of the badly rutted surface of the bridge and subsequent repaying with asphaltic concrete

 June 25, 2012 – Sand blasting, repair and repainting

July 7, 2012- sand blasting and painting of the steel member

I am sure if I had official documents I could cite more examples of work that was done on the bridge for an exorbitant amount and the little benefit associated with the money spent.

The short term measure implemented to fix the Bridge has resulted in short lived solutions. 

Bridge, Or is it? HEEEELLLPPPP!!!!

The same problems have been resurfacing it ugly head and the same ‘solutions’ have been forthcoming. The May Pen Bridge is highlighted as a parish embarrassment with Government Official not in my view allocating the right amount of propensity in getting a long term solution before this poorly designed structure buckle under the pressure of the vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

  

According to the Albert Einstein- “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” The persons that are rubber stamping the same solutions for a myriad of problems the bridge is facing need to be rubber stamped themselves and kicked out of office. Thus affording more capable hands the opportunity to make some beneficial contribution to the ailing health of the Infrastructure.

As Jamaicans tend to wait until the “horse gone through the gate” before any form of remedy is formulated. It would be a national embarrassment and travesty if a proper and long lived solution is not established before something devastating happens. Many of my friends, family, acquaintances, foes and people I don’t know personally use this Bridge!!! Many of whom are tax paying individuals. Where are our tax dollars going if we can’t get a decent Bridge to get into the town to carry out our business or go to school?

Roads are considered “Public Goods” and as such the government needs to intervene in providing proper walkways and bridges for tax payers and non-taxpayers alike.

Rotten Boards Taken from the Recently (2011) renovated Bridge

I am still baffled at the amount ($36 million) spent on the bridge on the last occasion it was closed for major repairs (Sand blasting, painting and resurfacing). And subsequently the amount of money paid on several temporary closures to facilitate the renovations of the bridge. Money which seem to be going down the drain or is being literally washed away by the river the bridge is suspended over.

It will take more than a paint job and asphalting a structure that the base is made of board to get rid of the problem. This time beautification is not the goal. In my view, the bridge could look like a raggedy ole hag as long as the structure is strong enough to accommodate the pedestrian and vehicular traffic that uses it daily. I pray for my friends, family and ever other person that has to use that bridge.

Did a Little Paint Job Really cost 36 Million Jamaican Dollars???!!!

@KronycOzz