Red Vial, Esparta
Road, Bridges
Approximately 70% of the population in the municipality uses this road as their main route to leave the municipality. Many students from the region commute on this road on weekends to La Ceiba to take university courses through distance-learning programs. All of the goods and products sold and distributed in downtown Esparta enter through this road, and many exports, including dairy products and African palm nuts exit by this road to be sold or exported.
Several streams and rivers cross the road at various points. Two small streams cause problems during heavy rainstorms. The culverts constructed do not have the capacity to handle large storm events. Many of them are currently clogged with sediment. At least two or three times during the rainy season, the road floods.
The water level rises up to a meter above the road service. Residents of Esparta are unable to evacuate. One of these culvert passes, Carlos Merlo, has become so urgent that the municipality has received funds from Estrategia de Reduccion de Pobreza (ERP) to reconstruct it.
Global Community Development proposes to assist the municipality to secure funds for the troublesome pass located in the town of Mata de Guineo. GCD also proposes to assist with the construction of passes using corrugated aluminum arch bridges. These arches provide more clearance and headroom for debris floating on the surface than the typical reinforced concrete box bridge, and should help to prevent future damage to the bridge by large floating debris.
Arch bridges can be quickly and easily erected using local labor and no heavy lift equipment. Local foremen will be trained in the necessary technology and construction techniques.