Call issued for tenders to inspect Regional Road bridge

An international call for tenders has been issued for the appointment of an engineer to carry out detailed inspections and determine the work which needs to be carried out on Manwel Dimech Bridge, along Regional Road.

The Malta Transport Authority (ADT) has made the call for bids, which must be submitted by December 14, for the supply of professional and technical services for the upgrading of the bridge.

The engineer chosen for the job will also have to draw up the necessary designs, submit details of proposals on how to strengthen the bridge, prepare the tender documents for the job and supervise the work.

A total of Lm170,210 is allocated for the engagement of the engineer and the money is being forked out by the European Regional Development Fund 2004-2006.

A total of €5 million are allocated for the works on the bridge and this too will be funded under the ERDF.

Last month, a German expert certified that Manwel Dimech bridge was still safe to use for the next 12 months, so long as the current traffic measures are adhered to.

A French engineering society, which inspected the road earlier in the year, had reported dangerous oscillations along the bridge, installed in 1971 with a lifespan of 35 years.

The government had immediately slapped on a speed limit of 45 kilometres an hour and limited the vehicle weight to between 35 - 40 tonnes in an attempt to reduce the oscillations.

The Cabinet had approved the upgrading of the bridge as one of the three road projects, which will benefit from the ERDF, in August. The others are the upgrading of the five-kilometre-long route from Victoria to San Lawrenz Square, in Gozo and the reconstruction and upgrading of the three-kilometre-long road between Hal-Far and Malta Freeport.