Malaita Province will tomorrow celebrate a significant infrastructure advancement with the official commissioning of three new bridges along the Auki-Dala road strip (17km).
This project, supported by the government and funded through the World Bank’s Solomon Islands Roads and Aviation Project (SIRAP 1), enhances accessibility to services.
The newly constructed bridges—Koa, Bi’o 1, and Bi’o 2—were built by Reeves Envico in 2021, replacing aging wooden structures with robust steel designs intended to withstand natural disasters. This development is expected to greatly improve public transportation in the East and North Malaita areas.
The project, which was completed in September 2024, had a contract cost of USD 9.6 million under the administration and supervision of SMEC. Bi’o 1 and Bi’o 2 bridge utilize InQuik technology, featuring prefabricated steel materials and reinforcement components that were assembled on-site, making this approach the first of its kind in the Pacific.
While Koa Bridge, they used a traditional design made of cast in situ reinforced concrete.
Allan Lilia, the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Infrastructure, emphasized, “These key infrastructure projects will greatly improve the lives of Malaitans residing along the route and facilitate economic growth.”
The event on Tuesday will be attended by the Minister for Infrastructure Development, Honourable Manasseh Maelanga; the Malaita Province Premier and team; contractors from Reeves Envico; a World Bank representative; the SIRAP Steering Committee; and community members from the West Kwara’ae area.
Looking ahead, the next phase of the project, SIRAP 2, will focus on constructing four additional bridges along Malaita’s North and South roads, continuing the vital work of improving infrastructure in the province.
- MID Press
