The Fiji Roads Authority has given no indication on whether the second lane of the Tamavua-i-Wai Bridge will be opened today as earlier planned.
Fijivillage has tried to get confirmation on this however we have been told that FRA will be make an announcement this afternoon.
FRA's Acting Chief Executive Officer, Rory Garland says a new section of the steel beam has been fabricated by Vatuwaqa Industrial Engineering Limited. The plan was to install the new section of beam by yesterday and then remove the repair platform from the bridge by this morning.
FRA's bridge engineer, Erasito Beca Consultants Limited, are monitoring the physical work.
On Saturday, Erasito‑Beca engineers were able inspect some of the other bridge joints. Following their assessment a weight restriction of 18 tonnes was imposed to protect the safety of the public and the workers under the bridge.
The engineers were carrying out detailed inspections of the rest of the bridge using a barge earlier this week to get close‑up under the whole structure.
FRA received the results from this inspection yesterday.
It said that it will then reconsider the need for weight restrictions.
Garland says at the same time, MWH has been coordinating the logistical side of the response, LTA has been running vehicle weight checks around the clock, and the Police have been working with FRA's maintenance contractor Fulton Hogan to help ease the traffic conditions.
Garland says FRA will be reviewing their bridge inspection programme immediately in light of this incident and will focus on those bridges that are suffering the worst of the overloading.
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
