This includes a base for the abutment of the bridge, which is the structure supporting the roadway.

The bridge at Mt. Gay is part of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Sites and Services Project, which is being managed by the Agency for Reconstruction and Development (ARD) on behalf of the Government of Grenada.

The bridge is included in the infrastructural works for a Human Settlement at Mt. Gay, which is expected to provide 140 housing units. Priority has been given to this particular bridge, as it will facilitate traffic for Cricket World Cup 2007.

“The ARD, the contractor (China Jiangsu Construction Group Corporation) and the consultant (Glean’s Construction and Engineering Co. Ltd.) are pulling out all stops to ensure the bridge is ready on time for Cricket World Cup,” ARD Human Settlement Consultant Ivan Laughlin said on Friday, after witnessing the pouring of the foundation.

Boundaries are now being marked at the seven-acre settlement site by the Lands and Surveys Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and Fisheries. Once this is completed, debushing of the site will commence. The debushing is critical for staking out road and drainage alignments prior to any earth works.

The new bridge, with dimensions of 18 feet in width and 48 feet in length, is being constructed with pre-stressed concrete beams. It is designed for a single span, rather than a collection of culverts. This will significantly reduce the chances of any build up of debris in the event of heavy rains and strong river currents.

The existing bridge, popularly called “the Ogilvie Bridge” will be retained as a pedestrian walkway.

The CDB Sites and Services Project involves a $2.28 million (EC) contract for infrastructural development at Mt. Gay and a $2.23 million (EC) contract at Soubise. The funds are provided from the Inter American Development Bank through a CDB loan to the Government of Grenada.