Victor Buyck has received the order for the design and the delivery of 14 modular bridges to be constructed in the Republic of Ghana.

The contract was signed between Mr. Joe Gidesu, Minister of Roads and Highways, and Mr. Wim Hoeckman, CEO of Victor Buyck.

Ghana has a total network of classified feeder roads of 32,600 kilometres. At many river crossings, there is no bridge. The only way to cross the river is currently by boat. The Department of Feeder Roads, with the support of the Ministry of Roads and Transport, has decided to improve this network, also by constructing bridges at selected river crossings. This will improve the life and connectivity of many villages and thousands of people.

Victor Buyck has been selected to design and manufacture 14 truss bridges. They will be installed all over the country at 5 selected river crossings: Agbenoxoe – Dafor, Galo-Sota – Bomingo, Nsese 1 – Nsese 2, Suprudo – Amissano and Asempanye – Hwidiem.

Three of the five bridges will consist out of two spans of 35m each and will be single lane. The other two bridges will be double lane, one with three spans and another wth five spans, each span being 35m.

The fact that all bridges consist out of more than one span, is quite unique. The bridge with five spans will finally be 175m long, which will be a record for this kind of bridge in Ghana.

The bridges consist all of main girders in the form of a truss. The deck consists out of steel deck panels. All components will be hot-dip galvanised, which will enhance the project’s sustainability.

The contract consists out of topographic and geotechnical surveys, the design of the substructures (foundations, piers, abutments, etc.) and the bridges, manufacturing and supplying the bridges components and erection equipment. Under the contract, engineers of Ghana will also be trained both in Belgium as in Ghana in the field of bridge construction.

The delivery of the bridges is foreseen by the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015.