e-mosty June 2018 American Bridges American Bridges | Page 63

Duraznal, Bolivia – 54-Meter Suspended Bridge
20°25'08.6"S 64°24'31.9"W
110 families, including 50 children, live in the
community of Hoyada in the Azurduy district of
Bolivia. They are primarily farmers, raising corn,
oranges, peaches, chili peppers, and peanuts, or
tending cattle.
bridge that provides year-round access, guaranteeing
a safe path for farmers and their families.
Construction of both the sub- and super-structure
took three months, and the bridge was inaugurated
and opened for use in December of 2017.
Over the last three years, two community members
have lost their lives attempting to cross the San
Antonio River, which swells during the rainy season.
During periods of heavy flooding, 550 people are cut
off from the primary school and a health clinic in
Duraznal, and the market in Azurduy (already a three-
hour walk).
This is often the case between the months of
December and April, meaning that members of the
community are forced to make decisions about what
crops to plant, when to send their children to school,
and the availability of healthcare based on the
possibility that they won’t be able to reach these
critical services for nearly half of the year.
Last year, the Bridges to Prosperity team in Bolivia
partnered with the Municipality of Azurduy and the
local community to construct a 54-meter suspended
2/2018
Figure 6: The newly-completed Duraznal suspended bridge,
ready for inauguration