Bojonegoro, E. Java (Antaranews Jatim) - Construction of the Bengawan Solo bridge to link the sub-districts of Kota and Trucuk, in the district of Bojonegoro, East Java is almost finished.
However, the strength of the steel rope for the hanging bridge that spans the Bengawan Solo river, is still being tested for security by the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI).
"We still wait for the result of the test beginning on May 31 by LIPI," Head of the district Public Works and Housing Service Andi Tjandra said here on Sunday.
LIPI has not finished testing the strength of the steel rope from China as it also is testing the ropes of other bridges, Andi said, adding LIPI is expected to finish the test on July 11.
However, the steel ropes have all been in place, and the contractor, PT Bintang Sembilan Indah Malang, has even installed the bridge girders, he added.
He said construction of the project has been 96 percent completed, there is only the process of pouring of concrete on the bridge that is left to be done.
He estimated the whole work would be finished in less than a month, and if the test found the rope up to standard, trial operation would begin by opening the bridge for motorcycles in two days to be followed by trial with cars in 20 days before it is open to the public .
"The bridge has the maximum capacity of sustaining a burden of 40 tons that same as that of the bridge spanning the Bengawan Solo river in Widang, Tuban. However, the strength of the Bojonegoro bridge lies in the steep rope," he said.
Under the contract the bridge was to be finished in December, 2017, the contractor,therefore, is fined 9 million per day until it was finished.
The construction of the 145 meter long and 9.75 meter side bridge is made in two phases. The first phase was estimated to cost Rp83 billion. (*)
