2 more years before Kendall Bridge is replaced
Ever since the Kendall Bridge washed away by tropical storm Arthur in 2008, the crossing which was constructed in its place, has failed repeatedly to be a suitable temporary replacement. In fact, the crossing was built so low that whenever it rained, the Sittee River overflows. Some commuters even say, if you take a bucket of water out of the Sittee River and pour it back in, the Kendall crossing would still flood. The first step to the construction of a suitable replacement has finally been made. After completing the bidding process, the winning contractor is Cisco Construction Limited, which signed a contract today with the Government of Belize to build the new bridge.
Cadet Henderson, CEO, Ministry of Works
Cadet henderson
“This is a contract between Cisco Construction Limited and the government of Belize for eleven million, eight hundred and ninety-nine thousand and seventy-nine dollars and thirty-five cents. This bridge is being funded by the Caribbean Development Bank and contract signing takes place today and construction will begin shortly. This project is being executed by the Ministry of Works and the consultant for the programs is Becca International.”
anthony "Boots" Martinez
Anthony “Boots” Martinez, Minister of Works
“This contractor, Cisco Construction has been the A1 contractor in terms of roads and bridges in the country of Belize and we feel confident that we will get a good job from this and value for money from this project. I want to thank Mr. Woods and congratulate his team on a well deserved job.”
Francis Woods, Cisco Construction
francis woods
“Our team is very proud to have won this bid. It’s unique in that I think it’s the longest structure of this design, single span with no peers so we’re proud to have been able to bid it so reasonably. It should definitely be a first class bridge and we hope that the river will never reach the high to touch this bridge again cause it’s ten feet higher than the last one.”
The long awaited structure will take about two years to complete and is expected to last at least eighty years. So you can still expect the temporary crossing to be in the news, the next time it rains in the South.
Maybe they should make it a toll bridge that way they can pay back for it without affecting the tax base coming from all Belizeans only those using the bridge will pay for it and they will also be able to put funds aside for maintenance since it seems that maintenance is never in the budget of the Belize government, darn look how long they have been collecting toll on the bridge in Orange Walk you would think that it would have paid for itself by now and it sure does not look like it has been maintained in any obvious way.
This is just straight up BS. If GOB wanted to really address this problem and fix the damn bridge they would have a long time ago. It is called Engineering. The damn engineers really have no concept of what a true engineer is. That bridge they got that didn’t so said work probably could have been retro fitted to work. Being part of a Enginerring Battalion in the US Army I’ve seen it done over and over again. Get something small, you make adjustments in other areas to make it work instead of giving up on the mission. But the reality is that they will use this to their political advantage. BELIZEANS need to wake the hell up and stop voting for political affiliation or popularity. They need to start voting for folks with skill, merit, education, aspiration, drive and the ability to ushering change. Voting for PUP or UDP because my whole family is PUP or UDP is just bird brain mentally and that’s the real.
I have to agree with you rootsman, why don’t they start collecting tolls for these new roads and bridges. The problem is where does the money go that they collect like you said look how long we have been paying toll for the Orange Walk bridge and right now there is a huge hole there that you have to try and avoid falling into. We all know where the monies go it goes to keep politicians, their families and their girlfriends living first class. I hope they don’t have to wait two years for the work on the bridge to even start, look how long the contract for the Progresso road have supposedly been signed and still no work have started. Little Belize and Chunox have been lucky to get their upgraded road. People in San Estaban and Progresso is still waiting for some sibilance of work starting. Good job UDP and PUP Good job
Didn’t read the whole story, but got the concept. The whole of Belize needs new bridges, especially since they are plagued by hurricanes that wash away bridges or are too low and not wide enough to cross in emergencies. BZ Gov’t, get outside expertise in bridge building get CARICOM/USAID TO HELP and problem solved. It is like Gov’t utilizing a handyman to build a mansion. They say construction cost $$$$$ but the quality of work is POOR. 1/2 the alotted money goes into their pockets and Belizeans get the shaft with taxes.
WHY WILL IT ONLY LAST 8 YEARS?????
WHY CAN’T THEY BUILD SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST ……INDEFINATELY???
i’ve starting paying for the bridge with the rise in the butane price people all of us will start paying and lets not forget that other stuff will go up so we can pay the bridge so that our brothers and sister there can pass the river. what a shame gov.
Braa Earl, it’s 80yrs not 8. Nothing is made to last forever anyhow, my brother. I was at the Min. of Works when the bridge that washed away was constructed and that one should have lasted longer than it did. Hopefully this one will give us the 80 as they say.
If there were true transparency and accountability I would be all in favor of putting additional tolls on our major highways to pay for what we now have and finance new and improved ones. But……..in view of what is being said about the Orange Walk toll bridge, lets not even begin to give those thiefin’ Politicians any ideas.
Toll the potholes in the roads. That way the politicians could get richer beyond their wildest dreams!!! In fact, they’d have the Ministry of Works out there 24/7 extending the millions that are already on the crumbling roads, and digging more!
On a more serious note – They could Toll the heavy trucks that pass the bridge – especially the BNE Tankers…..
Good point rootsman
There is always a bunch of idiots leaving comments on these sites.
1) The till bridge $ goes to GR. It collects $110K/a and require $55K/a in salaries to collect it. It also claims a life / annum. A single accident claimed 5 lives.
2) Darwin was either an idiot in the Army or a handyman with mansion ideas. You can’t retrofit a panel bridge designed for 70 ft to span 350 ft. The proposal that went to contract with CDB funding is being built in London by one of the top bridge firms in Europe. The USA hire this co. Quater Hall / Waagner Biro.
3) Internationally in democratic countries, you don’t toll a road if motorist don’t have an alternative.
4) Sahsa said “get CARICOM / USAID”. CARICOM don’t fund infrastructure and USAID says Belize’s percapita income is too high. They assist Guatemala since they have a lower GDP but not Belize since our GDP is above the treshold.
5) Earl claim the bridge will last 8 years. Idiot. The news said more than 100 years.
6) The Ky comment was reasonable.