By the Caribbean Journal staff

St Lucia’s government has awarded local firm Integrated Development Contractors the contract to build the new Bonne Terre bridge.

The contracts were signed in a ceremony Tuesday. The project will cost an estimated $2.03 million USD, and is slated for completion within six months, the government said.

The bridge’s design is for a single-span, reinforced concrete bridge, with a length of 11.2 metres. It will reportedly accommodate four-lane traffic.

“Funds for the project will be sourced from an EC$13 million allocation, provided in the 2012/2013 budget,” said Acting Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Philip Pierre.

The new bridge became necessary after the failure of five culverts on the existing bridge.

“We have managed to make substantial savings in engineering and consultancy fees for this project using the Competitive Selector Tender process,” he said. “All the players involved, including the 20-odd employees, are all local, and supervision will be undertaken by staff of the Ministry of Infrastructure.”