Breakwater bridge reopened,
water channel being widened
PHILIPSBURG--The new breakwater bridge near Great Bay Beach Hotel in Fort Willem was opened Friday, much to the pleasure of hundreds of motorists who sped across it tooting their horns and shouting praises.
Some even threw alcohol on the asphalt while they crossed, as a show of appreciation and a wish for good fortune. Head of New Project Development Kurt Ruan said the project had been completed a few days ahead of the scheduled December 14.
But this segment, he said, was just the completion of the bridge construction. The new bridge replaces the old bridge that was demolished in August after more than 40 years in use. This new bridge is built to Traffic Load 60 specification and, according to Ruan, is the highest standard for resilience used in the United States and Europe for bridges.
The bridge should last around 50 years before the material starts to deteriorate. The construction work includes the widening of the channel to allow 100 to 150 cubic metres of water per second to pass through it into Great Bay.
That part of the construction work still has to be completed and, according to Windward Roads Managing Director Janhenkdrik Boekaar, there should be a significant difference by next Friday in the way the channel looks as the water heads to the sea.
He said the temporary bypass road connecting Fort Willem with Philipsburg that had been used by motorists over the past few months would be removed today, Saturday.
Ruan said the inspection had been carried out on Friday to ensure that the project had been completed based on specifications agreed to by the Executive Council of St. Maarten.
Originally, a bid was submitted for project design and construction, and specific terms and conditions were stipulated that had to be met. Based on that, the main contractor Windward Roads carried out the project which is now near completion. The widening of the channel will be completed by January, but according to Ruan, heavy equipment still will have to be used to clear the area when necessary.
He said the advantage at present was that the channel could hold significantly more water, but the future design, still not completed, is for a floodgate to be built. This part of the construction still has to be approved by the Executive Council before it is carried out.
The project was financed by USONA and, according to USONA Project Advisor for Windward Islands Albert Splinter, the end product is a sign of money well spent.
