THE long-awaited completion of the Coedmore Bridge has been postponed from May 8 to mid-June, following numerous rain delays in the final stages of construction.

Also read: Coedmore Bridge: Reconstruction still on track

Nolwandle Gcaba, community media liaison of ward 64, said that engineers confirmed the bridge was built according to the official drawings. Many residents took to social media to point out the bridge looking slightly dipped and questioned the strength of the structure. According to Gcaba the site engineer said this is because the bridge is post tensioned.

Post tension refers to the use of steel cables within the concrete that provide a much stronger final product.  

Ward 64 councillor Gavin Hegter visited the site earlier today (April 9) to assess the progress.

“The official completion date was set for May 8, however, like on any construction project there are variations and delays such as rain delays. They are currently working on the schedule for an updated completion date which at this stage will be around mid-June 2025.”

The Coedmore bridge suffered severe damage in the 2022 floods and motorists have had to use diversion routes that take as long as 45 minutes to navigate. The eThekwini Municipality allocated R48m for the rehabilitation of the two-lane 90m bridge with pedestrian walkways. The funding was made possible by the National Treasury’s Municipal Disaster Response Grant.

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