ST MARY, Jamaica – Residents of Retreat in St Mary are appealing to the authorities to fix or replace a bridge in the community that is missing several pieces of its wooden floor.

According to the residents, the bridge poses a safety risk to pedestrians and motorists while also restricting heavier vehicles, including those for emergency purposes, from accessing the community.

“We need a good bridge because normally when trucks come here with stuff it is a great risk… If anything and it breaks down, it will be a big judgment,” one resident said.

Another resident added: “If there is a fire, a fire truck cannot come on the bridge because they say it only can manage eight tonnes, so if a place burning down the fire truck won’t go there because it weighs more than eight tonnes.”

The residents have also suggested that the authorities explore an alternate route for entering and exiting the community, to address the problem.

Port Maria Mayor Fitzroy Wilson raised the issue and the residents’ concern at a recent parish council meeting, noting that the situation was hurting their pockets.

“As it is now, construction material and so on cannot go into that community because the bridge is in dire need of repair or replacement and the residents are having to undertake additional costs in transporting building material,” he said.