The Parliament has confirmed a loan of eleven billion Ghana Cedis to put up a bridge over the Volta River at Volivo on the Eastern Corridor Road.

The maturity period of the payment of the loan is forty (40) years,which includes ten (10) years grace period  while the interest rate pegged at is 0.01% per annum. This was indicated by the Chairman of the committee who moved the motion on the floor of Parliament yesterday.

A report by the Finance Committee of Parliament shows that the project will consists of a 540m long by 17.1m wide cable stayed bridge on concrete pier and abutments.

After completion of the Eastern Corridor Road, it will eventually become one of the main routes for the people from the South-north corridor, the committee explained.
The report also specified that there will be heavy vehicular traffic on that section of the route because it is the shortest route to the northern sector of the country.

“This will exert much pressure on the Adomi Bridge. To reduce the impact of the pressure on the Adomi Bridge, it has become imperative to have more than one crossing point,” the report has it.

The new bridge which is to be cited at Volivo in the Volta Region will have three spans- two outer spans of 96m and a middle span of 280m, the committee indicated.
The main towers is said to be of 51.64m high and 26.4m wide at the base, and will be made up of a double bar arrangement reinforced concrete hollow tower.

The 540m long bridge will include two lane carriageway of 3.65m wide, 2.5m shoulders, 2m sidewalk/bicycle lane and railings, 3cm asphaltic concrete binder course and 5cm asphaltic concrete wearing course.

by Salim Abubakr/ghanaguardian.com