Woodsville residents repair condemned bridge, while still waiting for Government action

Western Bureau:

Residents of Woodsville, in Hanover, who have been operating with a makeshift bridge they created following the collapse of the 100-year-old Woodsville bridge four years ago, are making yet another plea to the authorities to replace the bridge immediately. They say  the one they created from logs and trees has become structurally unsafe, following recent rains.

The fallen Woodsville bridge, which was condemned by the authorities prior to its collapse, spans a section of the Cabarita River and is the main access road for residents in districts such as Woodsville, Cascade, Flower Hill and Hillsbrook. It is also widely used for commerce between those communities and Lucea, in Hanover; Savanna-la-mar, in Westmoreland, and Montego Bay in St James.

“We had to organise a workday recently to help ourselves,” said Sashagay Frazer, the president of the Woodsville, Community Development Committee (CDC), in reference to the emergency work done following the recent rains.

“There were some hiccups, but we managed to complete the task on the day.” 

According to Frazer, some reinforcement logs were placed under the structure they had previously built to strengthen the makeshift bridge. 

“We replaced all the reinforcements that were broken, and put in some additional ones, while also replacing some of the flooring boards,” she said of the project, which was undertaken voluntarily by over 50 residents from Woodsville and surrounding districts.

“Some persons donated food, some water, liquor and whatever else that was needed to do the work was donated. The food was prepared at a nearby location and taken to the worksite to feed the workers,” she said. “Everyone who uses the bridge will feel much safer going across it now, because the repairs were needed.”

While she is now feeling happy that the makeshift bridge has been strengthened, Frazer continues to express disappointment with authorities for not coming to their assistance by providing a proper bridge.

“I honestly feel like we are not getting anywhere with any form of assistance from the authorities, and we just have to continue to help ourselves as a community,” she said.

In March, Lucea Mayor Sheridan Samuels, who is also chairman of the Hanover Municipal Corporation, said he was reliably informed that plans were afoot to construct a new bridge in Woodsville.

“I am pleased to report that there now appears to be a glimmer of hope and movement in the right direction, as the Woodsville bridge has been identified for possible repair or replacement under the Government of Jamaica’s Accelerated Rural Bridge Programme,” he told a meeting of the municipal corporation. 

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