Bodo-Bonny Road: Julius Berger plans Yuletide gift for communities

Following its return to site recently, an engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, is working hard to meet scheduled deadline for the completion of ongoing Bodo-Bonny Road project, even as the contractor plans to deliver the third and critical Nanabie Creek Bridge as Yuletide gift to members of the operational communities and other stakeholders.

According to a statement from the construction firm, working under highly-challenging environmental conditions, the company is constructing the first road link from Bodo to Bonny Island, a major industrial hub in Niger Delta area and contributor to the country’s economic growth.

The scope of the contract comprises construction of a 39km long road, cross culverts and two mini bridges with a span of 23m each as well as two creek bridges, Afa Creek Bridge of about 530m length and Nanabie Creek Bridge of about 640m length.

The foregoing is in addition to the construction of a major river bridge of about 750m length over the Opobo Channel.

As at last week, Julius Berger officials at Bodo end of the project site lauded the management of Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas, NLNG Company as well as the leadership of operational communities with the Peace committee for the existing excellent relationship which has engendered speed in the project execution.

To expedite the construction process, the company has split work on the site into three zones comprising, Filling, Loading and Bridge Work areas.

“At the Afa Creek bridge approach, sand filling was being done. Beyond the bridge on the approach to the Opobo Channel bridge, more sand filling works was being done to raise the level of the road under construction three metres higher so as to level up with the height of the bridge, according to the Project Manager, Tim Limpert”, the firm stated.

Still on the Opobo Channel Bridge, sand filling the river embarkment was frantically on even as workers were busy atop the bridge preparing three more decks for casting and to connect with the old bridge; with the installation of parapets as the ultimate goal.

Limpert continued: we are aiming to create a temporary road for side traffic while constructionn on this Opobo bridge lasts. At the end of works here, the temporary side road will be dismantled as the road on top of the bridge would become useable by all.

The casting of concrete decks on the the two bridges alongside that on Nanabie Creek bridge and filling were ongoing last week even as Limpert remarked that;  we plan to make Nanabie Creek bridge ready as Christmas milestone to residents in this operational area of Bodo-Bonny Road and other stakeholders.

The Bodo-Bonny road project which cuts across four local government areas in Rivers State, consists of 13 bridges comprising three main bridges, nine mini bridges and one bridge over a pipeline. The length of the Bodo-Bonny road project is 35.7 kilometres. When completed, the Bodo-Bonny road will be the first road to connect oil-rich Bonny Island to mainland Rivers State.

The project is a tripartite agreement between the Federal Government, the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas and Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.

Chairman of the Bodo-Bonny Road Project Peace Committee, Chief O. R. Longjohn, was upbeat last week as he prayed for the timely completion of the Road.

“We have always trusted Julius Berger to do excellent work, and timely too. That faith in them has never waned; not even now”, Limpert said.

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