Deep Hole in Janapita Bridge Triggers Truck and Taxi Accidents on Ganta Highway
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officer inspects a bridge in Liberia during Operation United Assistance (file photo, 2014). Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
A deep depression in the Janapita Bridge on the Monrovia-Ganta Highway in Bong County caused two vehicles to overturn this week, prompting police to barricade the damaged section and renewing calls for urgent repairs on a route that serves a major weekly market.
A deep hole in the Janapita Bridge along the Monrovia-Ganta Highway in Bong County has triggered two separate road accidents, prompting police to barricade the damaged section and renewing public pressure for repairs on a route that carries heavy commercial traffic through the county.
Officers say a truck carrying drinks and other goods toward Maryland County, bearing registration plate H06495, overturned after striking the depression, coming to rest in nearby bushes. A taxi transporting merchandise to Monrovia was involved in a similar accident at the same spot. No deaths were reported, though accident victims received medical treatment.
The Janapita Bridge, built in the 1970s under a World Bank-funded project, sits on a stretch of highway that hosts a major market every Monday, making it a critical link for traders and residents moving between Bong County and the rest of the country. Beyond the depression itself, officers noted further deterioration along sections of the roadway and at the bridge's joints.
Inspector Z. William Nyanamah, Operations Officer of the Liberia National Police Traffic Division in Bong County, led officers to the scene to cordon off the damaged section. He urged motorists to "reduce speed and exercise extreme caution" when approaching the bridge until repairs are made.
Traders and residents who rely on the highway for their weekly market and daily commercial activity have renewed calls for the Ministry of Public Works to carry out urgent repairs, warning that further accidents are likely if the depression is left unaddressed. Liberia Today will follow up on any government response.