Haulover Bridge project expected to be completed next year

The Ministry of Infrastructure Development & Housing (MIDH) is advising motorists to exercise caution when approaching the Haulover Bridge due to ongoing works in the area. MIDH says that over the next four days five extremely heavy, 140-foot-long bridge beams will be transported on the Philip Goldson Highway from Ladyville to the southern approach of the bridge. The ministry notes that there may be brief instances when the bridge is closed to traffic to allow the beams to be aligned into position for placement; therefore, delays can be expected. The project commenced in 2021, and according to the Minister of Infrastructure Development & Housing Julius Espat, it is on schedule, and completion is expected next year. 

Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing: “The Haulover Bridge is on schedule, it’s supposed to be completed in the first month of next year more or less, that would be the formal inauguration of it. Happy to say, most of these bridges that you all mentioned are locally designed and manufactured by Belizean companies. I think there are two companies now that have the capability of doing them and we are hoping that there will be more. That has allowed us to reduce the cost substantially for these types of structures. And it highlights that we have professionals in country that have the capability and the know-how to have these things done to an international standard. So the Haulover Bridge is on schedule. Coastal, the inauguration will be next month the 6th of July will be inaugurating the coastal. So that’s one that’s completed. It has opened up an area that was not open to the general public before. I remember building 20 years ago in the South and I had to go to the coastal and it was a journey. Two, three hours and you’ll beat up your vehicle and by the time you reach the next side, half your vehicle already fell off.”

The public is advised to be vigilant and exercise extreme caution when approaching and navigating past the heavy equipment transporting these reinforced concrete beams.