Poase-Bakano Bridge near completion

Commuters from the cut off areas such as Nkontompo and Essaman had to  make a detour through the Ekoase Park.

The bridge is being constructed at the same location over the Poase-Bakano River and will link traffic from Takoradi through Nkontompo to Sekondi.

The bridge was expected to have been completed by now but the project suffered some technical hitches leading to the extension of the period.

According to the contractors, China Railway Wuju Group Corporation, the new bridge would have a life span of 120 years, as it had been well enforced to carry more load and traffic.

It was funded by the government of Ghana.

With the discovery of oil, coupled with the movement of heavy equipment to support offshore operations, the bridge provides easy access for many heavy-duty trucks carrying load to and from the Port of Takoradi and the Home Port of the Western Naval Command.

To avoid issues of overtaking on the bridge, the design incorporated a median lane and two walkways on both sides that will create two separate paths on it.

On the foundation of the structure, the engineers said there were two abutments on both sides and a pier in the middle supported by solid foundation with piles and pile caps that would be well fitted to carry the load.

When the Daily Graphic visited the site, there were compacting materials on the bridge preparing it for asphalt.

The Metropolitan Urban Roads Engineer, Mr William Donkor, said the cap over the bridge was supposed to be asphalted but currently they had to change the entire road stretch.

Story by Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu