The National Roads Administration (ANE) said on Friday (12) that the Samora Machel Bridge, located under the Zambezi River in Tete province, central Mozambique, is now open to all types of vehicles.
The reopening to road traffic on the bridge, which links National Roads Number Seven and Nine (N7) and (N9) respectively, comes after an interdiction to repair the damage caused by the passage of overweight lorries.
In a report published by the Mozambican Information Agency (AIM), the National Roads Administration (ANE) explained that the excess load had caused early degradation of the bridge’s structural elements, emphasising that the decks had been re-inspected and the physical integrity of the cables and other accessories essential for the safety of the infrastructure had been assessed.
“The opening to traffic is the result of work to fix and retighten the bolts and steel cables at the support centre of the anchoring structure and at the base of the deck,” said ANE delegate Victor Maicolo.
He urged users to be more understanding and to respect all the procedures required for the crossing.
“We ask for more patience, we think that there will be no contemplation in cases of overloading. This measure is intended to ensure that the integrity of the bridge is not compromised and that users can cross the bridge safely,” he concluded.
