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New
MOPT Minister Orders Closure Of Two Bridges
In less than 48 hours in office, the new
ministro de Obras Pública y Transportes (MOPT),
Marco Vargas, has ordered the closing of the
first two, of what could be a series of
bridges, the suspension bridges in Grano de
Oro de Turrialba and San Jerónimo de
Esparza.
Vargas said the bridges will be completely
closed to vehicular traffic in two days,
which will only then be accessible to
pedestrians.
The closure, according to the minister, is
avoid a similar tragedy that occurred on
October 22 in Turrubares.
Vargas added that as of Wednesday afternoon
Tránsito officials were on site at
each bridge regulating vehicular traffic and
come Friday all passage vehicles will be
prohibited.
The minister said that there is the
possibility of erecting a Bailey bridge (a
metal modular structure), but that won't be
until January at the earliest.
To not close off the communities entirely,
buses will be providing regular service to
both ends of the bridge. Passengers must
then cross on foot to transfer buses.
In the October 22 accident, the driver of
the bus did not follow the practice of
letting passengers before crossing the
suspension bridge. Loaded with 38 passengers
the bus crossed the bridge that unbeknownst
to the driver had been damaged the day
earlier by a heavy truck .
The 1924 bridge could not sustain the weight
of the bus and the cables snapped under
fatigue, plunging the bus into the river
below. Five people lost their lives their
lives and were injured in the accident.
The then MOPT minister, Karal González,
resigned her post to appease the outcry of
the public and critics, replaced by Vargas
on Monday.
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