FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – The Lucaya Service Company Limited (LUSCO) acknowledges the frustration being expressed by residents, as it relates to communications regarding the Casuarina bridge repairs and we will work toward providing better communications moving forward. LUSCO also recognizes that the longer diversion for residents is extremely inconvenient, but we wish to ensure that our primary focus remains to provide safe infrastructure for motorists to utilize, LUSCO noted I a press statement released on February 27, 2023.
The release continued: “Hurricane Dorian had a devasting impact on our service and LUSCO enacted a prioritized restoration strategy to address the significant damage to our infrastructure. Our first priority was to address the land-based debris and wreckage, so that residents could begin the long journey of recovery and rebuilding to restore a sense of normalcy to their lives. We then began the preliminary work for the large infrastructure restoration works slated for the Casuarina and Sir Jack Hayward Bridges, as well as the Fortune Bay Canal dredging project which is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks. These areas were selected as matters of greatest importance to ensure the safe passage for boaters and motorists. As a third priority, we intend to address the lingering issue of debris removal in our interior freshwater canal systems.”
“The Casuarina and Sir Jack Hayward bridges are critical structures which provide safe and convenient passage from Freeport and West Grand Bahama to the communities in the East,” said Mrs. Charisse Brown, Grand Bahama Development Company Limited (DEVCO) and LUSCO Chief Executive Officer and Senior Legal Counsel. “For the past number of months LUSCO and construction contractor All Bahamas Construction (ABC), have been diligently working to repair severe embankment damages below the bridges.”
The initial timeline provided for completion of all repairs to the bridges was in advance of the start of the 2023 Hurricane Season. However, LUSCO advises that, due to modifications on the seawall and embankment retaining walls, work on the Sir Jack Hayward bridge is expected to be completed in July 2023 and, a month later, the Casuarina bridge.
“While bridge repairs are taking longer than initially anticipated, significant progress is being made,” advised Mrs. Brown. “At the Casuarina bridge, embankments have been cut back at the trench wall to install the retaining wall’s footing. Anchor blocks have been fabricated and installed. And at the Sir Jack Hayward bridge, the access road to the northeastern and northwestern embankments is complete, work on rebuilding the embankments is underway, and installation of the cables in the trench is complete. “
We understand the importance of these bridges to our residents, which is why we will do the necessary work to ensure the repairs are done to the highest standards and provide a lasting and safe solution. We will also be reinstating our quarterly community update meetings, so that we can keep residents updated on the bridge repairs, other key projects and works, as well as hear directly from residents and respond to any concerns. Please stay tuned to our LUSCO Facebook page for further update.
