Agency
Engineers working on the rehabilitation of the Karuma Bridge have announced that light traffic flow is expected to resume within the next three weeks.
The government closed the bridge to all traffic in September to allow major repairs after an assessment in April revealed alarming structural defects.
These defects, found in the bridge’s expansion joints, bearings, and deck, had significantly deteriorated, prompting a temporary closure earlier in the year.
The Karuma Bridge, which has served for over 60 years, is undergoing critical restoration to ensure its safety and functionality.
Eng. Lawrence Pario, Head of Bridges and Structures at the Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA, said over the weekend that they have achieved 80 percent progress since July when the physical repairs commenced.
Paro says engineers have so far replaced four of the 12 worn-out bearings on the bridge and completely replaced the deck and reinforcement steel bars, which had deteriorated beyond an acceptable level.
He says the new concrete deck is already curing and anticipates it will take about three weeks for it to attain 100 percent MPa strength to handle light traffic this month.
Since the closure of the Karuma Bridge, which is crucial for connectivity to Northern Uganda, motorists traveling to and out of Northern Uganda are using the Eastern routes and the Murchison Falls National Park Road through the Masindi district. Others are using the alternative route at Masindi Port where UNRA provided an additional ferry.
