The Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs condemned and closed the Fresh Creek Bridge after a catastrophic structural failure severed the main transportation artery in Central Andros. A structural assessment revealed that an intermediate pier at one of the bridge’s concrete pile caps completely sank and tilted between 20 to 30 degrees. This foundation shift transferred the structural weight dangerously onto two external supports, causing three major bridge slabs to sink and forcing officials to immediately ban all vehicular traffic.
Because the crossing serves as the sole economic and logistical connection between the northern residential communities and the southern airport, its closure has severely disrupted daily life, government operations, and local commerce. The infrastructure crisis additionally compromised utility management, as Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) teams are unable to transport heavy machinery across the river to repair electricity grids and restore power to South Andros and Cargill Creek. Local administrators noted that the collapse followed years of visible deterioration under successive governments. To mitigate the economic standstill, Minister Clay Sweeting announced interim relief measures, including ferrying vehicles across the waterway. Government officials have identified a temporary bridge structure in New York, but it is expected to take up to two months to arrive and install while plans for a permanent replacement bridge are fast-tracked.
