Japan funds assessment of bridges on EN1

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Japan funds assessment of bridges on EN1

4:19 CAT | 28 Mar 2023

(FILE PHOTO: for illustration purposes only)

The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will finance a project to assess the state of the road bridges in Mozambique, particularly those along National Road Number One (EN1).

The initiative, budgeted at 300 million meticais (about US$4.7 million), aims to ensure the transfer of bridge maintenance technology to Mozambique, specifically to the technicians of the National Roads Administration (ANE) and consultants and contractors involved in the provision and maintenance of roads and bridges in the country.

The project involves an exhaustive assessment of the state of the bridges, with a view to devising the most appropriate type of intervention.

The first phase will cover the around 200 bridges between Ponta de Ouro in Maputo province and Sunati, Cabo Delgado province, in the north.

The outline plan was announced in Maputo by Japanese bridge expert Takahashi Massamune, who will be responsible for leading the four-year project.

“The project aims to design an integrated management and maintenance system for bridges through the creation of a complete database, to help the sector in decision-making,” he said. “This will increase the ANE’s ability to intervene effectively on bridges.”

Takahashi Massamune explained that the project is expected to extend the lifespan of Mozambique’s bridges, many of which were built in the colonial era.

“Most Mozambican bridges just need proper rehabilitation and maintenance to maximize their lifespan. The survey will facilitate the preparation of a budget plan for their rehabilitation and the construction of new bridges in Mozambique,” he added.

In addition to bridge maintenance, the ANE and JICA are already partnering in the construction and maintenance of other infrastructure, including the improvement of around 600 kilometres of national roads in the provinces of Nampula and Niassa, in the northern part of the country.

This joint government project also provides for the exchange of technicians and expertise between the two countries regarding the rehabilitation and construction of bridges and roads, a field in which Japan has extensive theoretical and practical experience.

A pilot initiative will examine and rehabilitate two bridges in Magude and Incoluane, in the provinces of Maputo and Gaza respectively.

Massamune observed that most Mozambican bridges were built more than 50 years ago and have never undergone major maintenance, which could reduce their useful life. The initiative also includes a collaboration component for private enterprise and academia.

Mozambique has a total of 1,297 bridges, of which 194 are along National Road Number One.

Source: AIM