Defects again emerge on Howard Cooke Bridge in Montego Bay
Published:Friday | June 23, 2023 | 9:02 AM
Nine months after the northbound carriageway of the Howard Cooke Bridge in Montego Bay, St James was repaired, its expansion joints have reopened, requiring immediate action.
The defects were noticeable as early as Thursday evening.
Several joints were seen opened when The Gleaner visited the scene Friday morning.
Two unsuspecting cyclists were caught off guard by the ridges that hit their tyres.
Last August, the National Works Agency (NWA), which has responsibility for the bridge, announced the closure of the structure for six weeks in order to effect repairs on defective joints, however, within three weeks after the announcement, the demolition and reconstruction of the concrete abutment were completed.
The NWA pumped $6 million into the repairs, using a new type of concrete mix, which was reportedly faster.
“The double-strength concrete used by the contractors and fast curing additives added to the [concrete] mix are among the things credited for shortening the period by 50 per cent,” an agent on the project told The Gleaner then.
At the same time, Janel Ricketts, NWA's community relations manager for western Jamaica, stated that efforts were put in place to have the heavily-used corridor reopened quickly amid the impending reopening of schools and to avoid congestion.
Another closure of the bridge could impact activities for persons who use the corridor.
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