After four years of difficulties in traveling, transporting agricultural products and accessing essential services, the inhabitants of the rural areas of Fresno and Mariquita have a safe and efficient connection again thanks to the distribution of a semi-permanent modular bridge.
The work, carried out through a coordinated work conducted by the Mayor's Office of Fresno, the Government of Tolima, the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, UNGRD, and Colombian National Army, leads to reestablish a strategic route for the mobility of communities and the economic development of the region.
In less than 14 days, the Military Engineers carried out the assembly and installation of a 3S-bridge type structure of 24.38 meters in length, in a simple double reinforced configuration, restoring the connectivity of the villages Piedra Grande, Guineal, Remolino, Arrayán and Yarima, in Fresno, and the villages El Hatillo, Camelias and Las Marías, in Mariquita.
This intervention is particularly relevant because it benefits one of the most productive agricultural areas in the north of Tolima, where about 85% of the regional agricultural production is concentrated, mainly represented in coffee, avocado, banana, Cacao and soursop. With the enabling of this step, farmers will be able to transport their plantations safely, reduce costs and significantly reduce travel times.
For the inhabitants of the sector, the distribution of the bridge represents the end of years of uncertainty. Germán Gómez, a resident of the village of El Guineal, said that people have faced great difficulties since the collapse of the old structure.
"After the collapse of the bridge began the suffering of people to remove the load because it held a lot of risk. Through this bridge, life changed for us," he said.
For his part, the Mayor of Fresno, Carlos Enrique Quiroga Calderón, highlighted that the work will have a direct impact on the quality of life of rural families and on the strengthening of the local economy.
"This construction means hope, development and progress for the entire region. It not only improves mobility, but in the same way facilitates students' access to their schools and works to ensure that farmers can transport their products safely. It is a project that promotes the growth of the entire territory," he said.
Beyond the recovery of connectivity, the new structure strengthens road safety, facilitates access to health and education services, and boosts economic activity in a region that depends largely on agricultural production.
Through this work, the Military Engineers of Colombian National Army ratify their ability to carry out construction solutions that respond in a timely manner to the vulnerabilities of communities, contributing to progress, territorial integration and the well-being of thousands of Colombians.
Source: Press – National Army
