Skip to main content

New bridge link for Sri Lanka

A new bridge spanning Sri Lanka’s Mahaweli River and close to the city of Kandy has been officially opened. The bridge link connects the neighbouring villages of Dodanwala and Halloluwa in Sri Lanka’s Central Province and was opened by Maithripala Sirisena, the country’s president. The bridge is nearly 105m long and replaces a 75 year old suspension bridge that was no longer fit for purpose. The old structure carried pedestrian traffic only while the new bridge carries two lanes of vehicle traffic, as well
January 10, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
A new bridge spanning Sri Lanka’s Mahaweli River and close to the city of Kandy has been officially opened. The bridge link connects the neighbouring villages of Dodanwala and Halloluwa in Sri Lanka’s Central Province and was opened by Maithripala Sirisena, the country’s president. The bridge is nearly 105m long and replaces a 75 year old suspension bridge that was no longer fit for purpose. The old structure carried pedestrian traffic only while the new bridge carries two lanes of vehicle traffic, as well as having double cantilever foot walks. The new bridge is a modular steel type made from a Mabey Compact 200 system while the pedestrian provision is protected by the new Mabey SmartEdge System.

With the opening of the new bridge the distance to drive between the two villages will be reduced by 10km. The new link will also lower traffic volumes on other routes, as well as helping to increase tourism in the area, a sector on which Sri Lanka’s economy relies heavily.

Related Content

  • Highway developments to boost east-west transport
    February 16, 2012
    Huge highway developments are being planned and carried out to further improve East-West transport, with Central Asia a key region as Patrick Smith reports
  • ULMA on the Guadiana Bridge
    October 5, 2021
    Heavy onsite winds and the simultaneous renovation of both pylons were challenges for ULMA when it supplied scaffolding for work on the Guadiana International Bridge
  • Temporary bridge to replace collapsed Tretten
    June 2, 2023
    The 148m temporary bridge will cross the Lågen River and the E6 highway at Tretten, Norway.
  • Sri Lanka benefiting from external highway investment
    July 16, 2013
    Key highway projects in Sri Lanka are now moving forward. Chinese investment will finance a new tolled highway in Sri Lanka. The project for the US$1.5 billion tolled highway is being handled jointly by China Merchants Hua Jian Highway Investment Company and China Merchants Holdings (International) Company. The agreement is to build and operate the highway over a 25-30 year period, and which will be constructed in four separate phases. The first phase will be from Enderamulla to Ambepussa, with the second f