The Fiu bridge, which connects the Central and West Kwara’ae constituencies in Malaita Province poses safety concerns for road users due to its deteriorating condition.
The current poor condition of the bridge has been worsened by heavy traffic during the Christmas and New Year festive period.
A recent visit to the bridge revealed that several timber planks forming the bridge’s runway have deteriorated and broken, creating a dangerous situation for vehicles using the route.
At the eastern end of the bridge, multiple timber sections on the runway were found to be damaged, increasing the risk of accidents.
The situation is particularly dangerous for fully-loaded vehicles that frequently use the bridge to transport goods.
Last year, the bridge suffered major damage after a China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) dump truck carrying a heavy load of gravel crossed it.
Following the incident, temporary maintenance work was carried out to allow traffic to continue using the bridge.
Engineers from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) later assessed the damage.
However, some individuals with technical knowledge of bridge construction have stated that temporary repairs are no longer sufficient and that a completely new bridge is needed to ensure long-term safety.
The Fiu Bridge project was previously reported to be funded by the World Bank, but the funding was withdrawn due to political disturbances, leaving the bridge without a permanent solution.
Residents and road users are now calling on the responsible authorities to urgently address the issue before a serious accident occurs.
By SOLOMON LOFANA
Solomon Star, Auki
