Residents Worried About Abandoned Bridge Project in Locust Community

Residents of the Locust community in eastern Freetown have expressed concern over the halt in work on the Locust Bridge on August 25,2025, which serves as a key route for commuters traveling to the city.

The bridge, which was being handled by Gento Group of Companies, has been left partially completed. Locals fear this situation could lead to more accidents and traffic problems, especially for people using the eastern corridor.

Mohamed Jalloh, commonly called Pa Jalloh, explained that engineers visited the area some time ago to fix the bridge, but residents warned that the structure needed full reconstruction and not minor repairs.

“They said they came to repair the bridge, and some of us told them there was no way to repair a bridge that was badly cracked and damaged. It needed a full rebuild,” Jalloh said.

According to him, less than a year after the repairs, the bridge developed deep cracks and later collapsed on one side. “Since the heavy rains started this year, the situation has worsened. The embankment around the bridge is being washed away,” he added.

Jalloh stressed the importance of the bridge as a main entry point into Freetown during rush hours, saying its current one-lane condition has caused heavy traffic and frequent accidents. He recalled a recent incident where a commercial vehicle lost control and almost hit pedestrians.

Another resident, motorbike rider Saidu Sesay, said the community would continue to call for government help but would remain peaceful. “This road, known as Old Road, is an alternative for commercial vehicles when the main motor road is closed during morning hours. This bridge is vital for commuters, so the government needs to act,” he said.

The community suspects that unpaid wages for workers might have caused the delay in construction.

Responding to these concerns, Sierra Leone Road Authority’s (SLRA) Chief Engineer of Bridges, John Bockarie Kamara, confirmed that the project involves building reinforced retaining walls to support the bridge’s collapsed embankment.

“Inasmuch as we are the ones managing the project, we cannot continue civil works during this kind of heavy rain,” Kamara said. He assured residents that work would resume once the weather improves.