In Photo: (L-R) Member of Parliamaent for North Central Clarendon Pearnel Charles Snr., Permanent Secretary in the OPM Audrey Sewell, Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica Niu Qingbao, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, CEO at the National Works Agency E.G Hunter, Deputy General Manager- CHEC Dr. Zhimin Hu and Pearnel Charles Jnr. are all smiles as the Prime Minister cuts the ribbon at the official openening of the Kupius Bridge in Pennants, Clarendon.
The Kupius Bridge was designed and constructed by China Harbour Engineering Company Limited at a cost of just over US$5.537 million ($665.4). The Project falls under the Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP) with the National Works Agency (NWA) as the implementing Agency. Preliminary work got underway on January 11, 2016.
The bridge spans Jamaica’s longest river- The Rio Minho- and is a major link for several communities including Chapelton, Frankfield, Kellits and Pennants. The new two-lane reinforced concrete bridge replaces the single-lane steel relic which had deteriorated extensively since it was constructed over 100 years ago.
Currently, the corridor accommodates over 2000 motor vehicles on a daily basis, connecting the municipal towns May Pen and Frankfield.
It features a minimum hydraulic width of 60 meters to accommodate two lanes of traffic as well as pedestrian walks on both sides. In addition, the works included the realignment of a section of the roadway which leads to the communities of Morgan’s Pass and Friendship.
In Photo: (L-R) Member of Parliamaent for North Central Clarendon Pearnel Charles Snr., Permanent Secretary in the OPM Audrey Sewell, Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica Niu Qingbao, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, CEO at the National Works Agency E.G Hunter, Deputy General Manager- CHEC Dr. Zhimin Hu and Pearnel Charles Jnr. cheers as the Prime Minister cuts the ribbon to officially open the Kupius Bridge in Pennants, Clarendon.