Costa Rica Filled With Baileys

Costa Rica Filled With Baileys

Bailey bridges are very popular in Costa Rica, as more and more are erected in the country, taking the place of permanent bridges instead of being used as a temporary solution to a long term problem.
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The Bailey bridge is the quick solution to a continuing problem in the country, as the story repeats year after year, as bridges are washed out and the ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transportes (MOPT) uses the Bailey system in lieu of erecting a permanent structure.

How many Bailey's are in use currently in Costa Rica? The simple answer is, lots.

The Bailey is in no doubt a practical solution for emergencies. Experts, however, are voicing concern over the use of the structure as a permanent solution that is repeated in San José and small towns across Costa Rica.

The advantages of the Bailey bridge are many. They are easy to assemble, are lightweight and in a matter of days they can be in use.

The Bailey is a modular system that is easy to install but was never meant to be a permanent bridge, a fact that is recognized by the executive director of the Consejo Nacional de Viabilidad (Conavi), Carlos Acosta.

But, what is happening in reality is that the MOPT, under the premise of employing the Bailey, has stopped building bridges - up to 70 at the last count.

What is happening repeatedly across the country, communities are having to live through "funnels" for the lack of two lane bridges or capacity constraints for fear of collapsing structures.

Bailey bridges are not anchored to the ground, using strongholds and reinforcements to hold them in place and more expensive to, in terms of linear cost, than a permanent bridge.

This is a fact recognized by the ministro of the MOPT, Francisco Jiménez, who defends the increased use of the Bailey system by saying, "there is a lower cost overall due to less requirements for infrastructure".

The reality of the lower overall cost is the lack of maintenance.

The reality is that moore than one Bailey bridge in use is becoming dangerous by the day mainly due to the lack of maintenance, a problem that has plagued the MOPT for almost two decades and the reason for the poor state of condition of most of the permanent bridges in the country.