Chetumal Street Bridge Set for Completion by Mid-December
Millions upon millions of dollars are being spent on infrastructure works in the city. One such project is ongoing at Chetumal Street where a bridge is under construction and nearing completion. The Chetumal Street Bridge will flow to Independence Boulevard and connect to the George Price at Fabers Road Extension. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The Chetumal Street Bridge, the fourth overpass built across the Haulover Creek in Belize City, is nearing completion. Construction began several months ago, despite initial reluctance from residents in the Belama area, and is on schedule to meet the December fifteenth deadline.
Edmund Robateau, Supervisor, Cisco Construction Ltd.
Edmund Robateau
“As you can see, we are standing on the south approach and behind us is the, you have the whole deck completed and half of the guard rails [are] up already, you know.”
Isani Cayetano
“In terms of the length of time it has taken for you guys to get to this particular point in construction, what has that been like in terms of labor and the required manpower to get the job done?”
Edmund Robateau
“Well it has taken us a good amount of time and hard work and as you can see now it is finally paying off.”
Noel Blanco
But there is still quite a significant amount of work remaining. According to Site Engineer Noel Blanco, the detailed plan used to bring the blueprint to life includes various elements.
Noel Blanco, Site Engineer, M&M’s Engineering
“We had to take different factors in terms of getting this design done here right. Obviously we take notes from other previous bridges we have done right. So, in terms of the location, the purpose it can serve to determine the design.”
That design consists of wind walls being constructed on either side of the structure. It’s a technical process, one which sees men at work from the time they arrive on the site in the morning.
Edmund Robateau
“Right now we are working on the south, southeast wind wall, we have completed the southwest and we are forming up the other guard rails on the southwest and we are working on the north approach at this time.”
Isani Cayetano
“You were mentioning something interesting to me earlier, in the sense of where we’re currently standing and the material that will fill this particular void before another layer of concrete is added. Explain how that process will work and what’s the purpose of it.”
Edmund Robateau
“Well, the way it was designed is that the slab here that we are standing on is on fifty-five concrete piles and we’re going to full in between with hardcore and on top of that hardcore we will have the slab that will go and meet the concrete street that will be paved on the boulevard.”
Isani Cayetano
“What has the progress of this project been like in terms of seeing it from the very beginning to where it is now?”
Noel Blanco
“Well, it has really grown a lot from day one when we started with all the piling and setting out, you know. It’s really, really something amazing to see the progress of this magnitude of this bridge here in the Lake Independence area. What can I say, I just feel very glad that these kinds of projects are being done here in Belize. It’s being made by Belizeans, hundred percent Belizean, in terms of the products and the works getting executed.”
Isani Cayetano
“What’s the length of time remaining for this bridge to be completed?”
Edmund Robateau
“Well we have up to the fifteenth of December to complete the bridge.”
Isani Cayetano
“And how is that target looking at this point?”
Edmund Robateau
“Well it seems like we will meet our target date.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
