Damaged bridges – business owners take action to ensure motorists’ safety

Growing frustration and a lack of response from the municipality in connection to damaged bridges in Edenvale has resulted in community members taking matters into their own hands to ensure the safety of motorists.

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Central Avenue’s bridge in Eastleigh, one of the bridges damaged during the heavy floods of November 9, has been barricaded by a local business owner to stop motorists from using the bridge.

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To try ensure motorists’ safety and to prevent further damage to the bridge, Mr Ricky Riva decided to block the road with water containers to prevent vehicles from having to navigate the damaged bridge.

A large hole can be seen on the bridge, which formed during the floods and heavy rains.

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Pieces of loose tar are also scattered across the bridge.

More than three weeks after the floods, the Central Avenue bridge remains largely in the same condition as the day after the floods.

“Even though I am not a structural engineer I can see that the road is not serviceable,” said Mr Riva.

One of Mr Riva’s greatest concerns is that motorists who drive too fast down Central Avenue may cause an accident, or be involved in one if the road is left open.

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He said because the bridge is in a bad condition, motorists will have to swerve while going over the bridge and this could lead to an accident.

He is also concerned that if a heavy truck drives on the bridge it may cause the bridge to collapse.

“If a 30 tonne truck drove over this bridge I am sure it would collapse and then we will have no bridge,” said Mr Riva.

Mr Riva is urging the municipality to send a structural engineer to do an appraisal of the bridge and to determine if the bridge can still be used.

He said since the flooding, when the bridge was damaged, he has not seen any authority other than the local ward councillor and a fire engine attend the scene.

Mr Riva said if a structural engineer decides that the bridge is safe to use, he would move the water tanks.

According to Mr Riva, other than the damaged bridge, there is another issue – rubble and debris lying in the Eastleigh Spruit which is reducing the flow of water.

“When we had that small amount of rain on November 29 the water started damming up in the channel,” said Mr Riva.

Mr Riva said he is worried about the blockages in the waterway causing another flood.

The NEWS sent a request for comment to the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Muncipality on December 1, with a request for comment by December 2 before 10am. At the time of going to print, no comment had been received.