Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PORTAUPRINCE1317
2008-09-16 19:17:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:  

HAITI: KEY BRIDGES IN RUINS

Tags:  AEMR ASEC HA PGOV USAID 
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DE RUEHPU #1317/01 2601917
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161917Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8855
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 2057
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 0231
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1832
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 2416
RUEHMT/AMCONSUL MONTREAL 0322
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC 1256
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCOWCV/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001317 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR, DRL, S/CRS, INR/IAA
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR ASEC HA PGOV USAID
SUBJECT: HAITI: KEY BRIDGES IN RUINS

PORT AU PR 00001317 001.2 OF 002


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001317

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR, DRL, S/CRS, INR/IAA
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR ASEC HA PGOV USAID
SUBJECT: HAITI: KEY BRIDGES IN RUINS

PORT AU PR 00001317 001.2 OF 002



1. (U) Summary: Embassy USAID officials, a USAID engineer,
and military engineers from the USS Kearsarge visited five
damaged bridges September 13-14 to make a preliminary damage
assessment. Damaged and destroyed bridges have cut off key
transportation arteries and made the provision of emergency
assistance excessively dependent on helicopter transport.
The two most strategic bridges now inoperable are the Latheme
in Mirebalais and the Montrouis in the town of the same name,
both on routes leading from the capital to Gonaives, the
urban area hardest hit by the recent series of hurricanes and
floods. End summary.


2. (U) Accompanied by Embassy PolCouns, the group visited the
Latheme Bridge in Mirebalais Sept. 14, a 30 meter-long, one
span/two lane metallic bridge that carries traffic on one of
the routes from Port au Prince to the coastal city of
Gonaives. The settled area of Mirebalais extends to just a
few yards from the river's edge. All that remained of the
bridge were the stumps of two abutments on either side of
river bed. The metal span had been torn off its abutments
and had come to rest 200 meters downstream. That slightly
bent but still intact structure served as a playground and
diving board for neighborhood children. A series of small
boats just upstream from the bridge carried passenger traffic
across the river. The river had surged several meters over
its banks, as indicated by the sandy, washed out ground and
the tattered remnants of homes built mere yards away from the
river bank. Residents told us they had been forced to flee
for their lives early in the morning of August 31 as the
river rose very suddenly. Engineers' on-sight assessment was
that once water levels fell further, a culvert bridge could
be built as a temporary crossing while a more permanent metal
or concrete bridge was erected.


3. (U) USAID officials and U.S. military engineers on
September 13 visited the Montrouis Bridge, a two-lane,
two-span concrete structure approximately 53 meters long
supported by two abutments and a central pier. This bridge,
located about 50 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince on
National Route 1, lies along the principal access route from
the capital to northern Haiti and the Artibonite Department,
whose capital is Gonaives. It is the most strategically
important bridge damaged in the recent storms. The damaged
bridge supported pedestrian but no vehicle traffic. The
central pier under the bridge had tilted and sunk, causing
caving of the bridge deck. The team observed cracks in the
concrete beams under the deck. The engineers thought it was
questionable the structure could be salvaged. The Director
General of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport
happened to be on the scene, and shared with the USG team his
initial impression that the bridge was a loss and would have
to be replaced by a permanent metallic or concrete bridge.
He opposed installing a temporary Bailey bridge, since he
feared it would become a de facto permanent solution.


4. (U) USAID and U.S. military engineers from the USS
Kearsarge visited the one-lane/one span Ennery Bridge Sept.

13. This structure lies along the route from Gonaives to Cap
Haitien in the north. One abutment was washed away, leaving
the span partially submerged. Once waters subside, a culvert
crossing as a temporary expedient may be feasible.


5. (U) The same team on September 13 visited the Duvivier
Bridge on route 9 just north of Port-au-Prince, constructed
by U.S. military engineers in 1994. The 30-meter metallic
bridge is supported by two abutments and a central support of
three piers. The bridge was still open to traffic, but the
protective structures of both abutments are severely damaged.
These structures require immediate intervention to prevent
catastrophic damage in future flooding.


6. (U) Another team of Embassy officials and USS Kearsarge
engineers visited the Miragoane (du Parc) bridge the second
week of September. The 28-meter, one-span, one lane bridge
connects Miragoine with points east, including
Port-au-Prince. One abutment had dropped approximately one
meter due to washout of the foundation. A large section of
fill behind one abutment was washed out. The bridge cannot

PORT AU PR 00001317 002.2 OF 002


be used by vehicular traffic. However, water levels were low
enough to allow vehicular traffic to drive across the river.
This will be the immediate expedient until a short-term
culvert/earth bridge can be constructed. Engineers assessed
that the long-term solution is to repair the abutment.
SANDERSON