Simpson Bay bridge
is at risk, says NA
PHILIPSBURG--The National Alliance (NA) political faction in the Island Council believes a thorough investigation is needed to give the public clarity on what is wrong with the Simpson Bay bridge.
NA leader William Marlin made these comments during Monday’s public meeting of the Island Council after he took notice of a report by the Dutch Ministry of Transport and Water Works on the condition of the bridge. The report was handed to the Island Council Monday morning before the meeting on the Simpson Bay bridge fees increase.
“The report is extremely damaging and not to be taken lightly,” Marlin stated. He proposed that the Executive Council order a thorough investigation of the work and expansion of the bridge four years ago. He said that if the Island Council had received the report (which was published in March) earlier, NA would have prepared a motion for the Island Council to vote on.
It’s bad for the Executive Council to come to the Island Council to ask for extra funding to carry out urgent repairs and on the morning of the meeting sneak in this report, Marlin said. He said he believed the Executive Council had misinformed and misled the Island Council, as at least two members of Executive Council had had this report before.
NAf. 4.1 million was spent in 2003 to accommodate megayachts in Simpson Bay Lagoon. However, according to the report of the Dutch Ministry, the adjustments made in 2003 had not taken into account the stress on the bridge and the engineering in the construction had increased the stress, while the construction had been done badly in certain areas, Marlin said.
“The welding was not done properly, rendering the bridge useless in the next 10 years and, if not repaired quickly, it will be worse than 9/11. It will be a St. Maarten manmade disaster,” he said.
The Dutch Ministry stated that maintenance had not been carried out the way it should have been. It recommended two scenarios: an investment of US $750,000 now and replacing the bridge in 10 years for an amount between US $2.6 million and $4 million, or a $100,000-dollar repair now and replacing the bridge soon for an amount between $2.6 million and $4 million.
Marlin, reading from the report’s conclusion, said periodic maintenance had only been done partially. He questioned sternly why the same company Central Welding and Iron Works that had done the expansion four years ago and the repairs in November 2006 had to do the repairs again.
In addition, he found it strange that apparently the same company made the annual assessments as well, and in November had given certification of the repairs it had done in November 2006. According to Marlin, this was a conflict of interest.
The report stated furthermore that changes made to the bridge in 2006 had not been recorded in the plans. Also, the bridge is not adequate to withstand wind speeds exceeding 20 to 30 kilometres per hour.
“If opened at a wrong time it can have serious detrimental consequences. The arm which opens to lower the bridge is also is in critical condition and the amount of traffic which goes over the bridge causes tremors, creating more problems,” he said.
Commissioner responsible for Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority Corporation (SLAC) Louie Laveist said the issue of the winds was no big deal, as a bridge, like any other equipment, came with instructions how to use it. “The same goes for airplanes. Safety measures are put in place with the operation of any equipment. We will not open the bridge with 60-mile-an-hour wind gusts,” he said.
Laveist stressed that the bridge was not in immediate danger. “In November 2007 the quality of the November 2006 temporary repairs was certificated,” he said.
A 25mm steel plate was welded onto the existing plate and has been functioning as a temporary replacement plate.
