TheMaputo-KatembeSuspensionBridgeisthelongestofitskindinAfricaPAULOMENDESMozambiquehasenteredthehistorybooksintheinfrastructurestakes,nowbeingtheproudownerofthelongestsuspensionbridgeonthecontinent.TheMaputo-KatembeSuspensionBridge,settobeofficiallylaunchedinOctober,nowmeansvehiclescandrivebetweenthecapitalMaputoandtheMunicipalDistrictofKatembe.Katembe,asmallandpicturesquetownonthesouthendofMaputoBay,isoneofthelargesttouristattractionsinMozambique.
Thebridgedeckisjustunder700meterslongandhangsbetweentwotowersmeasuringmorethan135meterseach,whiletheentirebridgelengthexceeds3km.
Itformspartofalarger209-kmMaputoBridgeandLinkRoadsconstructionprojectthatendsatthebordertownofPontadoOuro,withatotalbudgetof$875millionfinancedthroughaconcessionalloanfromtheExport-ImportBankofChina,accordingtoSilvaMagaia,CEOofMaputoSouthDevelopmentCo.,whomanagestheproject.ThebridgewasbuiltbyChinaRoadandBridgeCorp.alongwithGermany’sGauffEngineering.
Magaiasaidthat“theprojecthasatechnologicalcomplexity”asthelocationcreatedenormouschallengesderivedfromaccesstothebridgeinaheavilyoccupiedurbanenvironment,whichhasmadetheacquisitionofworkareasamarvelofengineering.Intheprocess,3,000jobsweregenerated,accordingtotheChairmanofMaputoCityCouncilDavidSimango.
TheconstructionofthebridgebeganinMarch2012withalaunchceremonyofthefirststonelaidbythenMozambicanPresidentArmandoGuebuza.
Cheapercrossing
Thebridgewillhelpdoawaywiththetediouswaitingtimethatmotoristsendurewhilequeuinguptousetheferry–theonlywaytocrossMaputoBaybeforethebridgewasbuilt.However,althoughsomecontroversyhassurroundedtheapplicationoftollfeesthatwillbechargedforbridgeusage,assuranceshavebeengiventhatthetollwillbelowerthantheratecurrentlybeingpaidfortheferrycrossing.
“Thesetariffswillnotbepainfulfortheusersofthebridgecomparedtotheseacrossing,”saidMagaia,addingthatthegovernmentiscarryingoutstudiessothatthetariffs“aresociallysustainable”andthetariffsforcrossingwillnotbehigherthanthecurrentcosts.
Atpresent,motoristscrossing,eithertoMaputoCityortotheMunicipalDistrictofKatembe,areforcedtoendurequeuesofcarsandhour-longdelayswaitingforthesolitaryferryboat,beforethentakinganhourtocrossinaroundtrip.Currentlytheferrycanonlycarryabout15vehiclesatatimeatanaveragecostof$4.5foreachvehicle.
Forpassengers,inadditiontotheferryboat,whichnotonlytakescarsbutalsopeople,therearesmallboatsspecializinginpassenger-onlytripschargingaround$0.1perpersonpertrip.
Bridgebenefits
ResidentsonbothsidesofMaputoCityandKatembeareexcitedabouthavinganewfacilitytoimprovetheirlives.Manyofthembelievethatthebridgewillrelievemuchofthestress,frustrationandsafetyissuestheyfeeleverydaywhentheycrossthebayastheboatsareinpoorcondition.
ForthoselivingontheKatembesideandstudyingorworkinginthecapital,the“magnificentbridge”willreducethe“traveltimeandfearthatIfeeleverydaywhenIenteroneoftheseboats,”saidstudentÂngelaMahumane.
“Thebridgewillbringmoresecuritytoallofuswhocrossthesewaterseveryday,especiallythestudents.Ialsobelievethatwiththebridge,wewill[openup]moreinvestmentsinKatembe.Welackschools,hospitals,shopsandmanythingsthatweonlyhavehereinMaputo.Thebridgewillraisethegovernment’sattentiontotheneedfortheseservices[inKatembe],”Mahumaneadded.
EsmeraldoMassangoisadriverandownerofacargovehiclewithacapacitytocarry3tons.LivinginKatembe,hisdailyroutineistotransportvarioustypesofgoodsfromMaputotothegrocerystoresandotherbusinessesinKatembe.
Currentlyhisonlymeansofcrossingistheferryboat,andhesayshespendsmorethan“twohoursinthelongrowsofcarstomakethecrossingtothecityandmoretimeintheafternoononthereturntrip.”Forhim,thebridgewillincreasedailyproductivityandreducewaitingtime.Forabusinessperson,timeismoneyafterall.
Katembeisknownforattractingmanydomesticandinternationaltouristswhogotoappreciatethecrystalclearwatersofitsbeaches,andthemagnificentmangroves.Formerly,itwasanareanotmuchexplored.But,withtheconstructionofthebridge,residentshavenotedtheincreaseinhousingandconstructionaspeoplelooktorelocate.
CarlaMalumbeisaresidentofMaputowithfamilyinKatembe.SheoftencrossesMaputoBayinsummertovisitKatembe’sbeaches,whichshesaysaremorebeautifulandcleanerthanthoseinthecity.
Malumbehastwodaughters,andshethinksit’sdangerousforthemtotravelonthesmallpassengerboats.Shesaysshepreferstheferryboat,andisalwaysconsciousofthedangeroftheseoldandpoorlymaintainedboats.Sheishappywiththebridgebecause“itwillmakethecrossingsaferandIintendtogoevenmorefrequentlytothebeach.”
ThebridgeisalsoexpectedtocutthedrivingtimefromtheneighboringborderwithKwaZulu-NatalProvinceinSouthAfricatoMaputobyaboutfourhours.
WithlargenumbersofpeopletravelingbetweenthetwocountriesviathebordergatesatKwaZulu-Nataleverymonth,thebridgeandlinkingroadsareexpectedtogivetourismaboost.
**ReportingfromMozambique
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