BY ALICE T CAMPBELL
The Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) announced that relief works are underway this week at Kohi, Northwest Guadalcanal, to restore a multi-cell culvert system following the severe weather events of late January this year.
In a statement yesterday, MID said its Transport Infrastructure Management Services Division has engaged a local contractor to carry out gabion reinstatement activities to stabilise the riverbank and protect the bridges’ approach road.
MID said heavy rainfall during January’s peak wet season led to the collapse of the Kohi (Tanaeba) approach road and its associated cell culverts.
Hence, for durability to withstand future river torrents, the contractor is utilising gabion baskets which the ministry said acts as a flexible, heavy-duty barrier and can allow water to flow through them, reducing the build-up of hydrostatic pressure during floods.
MID said the priority is to make sure that the cell culverts are fully protected as the watercourse cuts towards Kohi Bridge, and that this asset remains safe and accessible for road users of Northwest and West Guadalcanal.
“These ongoing rollouts of minor works are part of the government’s response to ensure the safety and resilience of infrastructure critical to the Guadalcanal Provinces’ development and disaster response mechanism,” said MID.
The statement said the ministry will continue to strengthen its collaboration with the Guadalcanal Provincial Disaster Operations Committee (P-DOC) to ensure that relief works are undertaken to ensure connectivity when disaster strikes and to design climate-resilient road infrastructures.
Photo credit: MID
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