The Beef Island Bridge connecting Tortola to Beef Island requires maintenance work on its concrete and steel components, Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer announced following an engineering site visit on Sunday.
During the inspection, a Systems Engineering representative found that protective concrete layers had broken down in certain sections, exposing the underlying steel reinforcement to rust. The outer concrete shell normally shields the metal from corrosion, but deterioration has compromised this protection in affected areas.
Engineers assessed the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge as holding up reasonably well for a structure that is 30 years old. They recommended minor remedial work paired with yearly inspections to monitor its condition going forward.
Rymer outlined the planned response: the ministry will weld new steel into sections where corrosion has caused significant loss of material, and will inspect other parts of the same age for similar problems. "We'll be doing some remedial works to get this done, get this repaired," Rymer said. "This is basically just to do some plastering, do some additional works, welding some steel. And it should be okay."
The inspection came after public reports and concerns about the bridge's structural soundness. The span is vital infrastructure for the territory, as Beef Island hosts the Terrance B Lettsome International Airport.
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