BRIDGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION; WORKERS ON BRIDGE; FINAL SECTIONS COMPLETED; BRIDGE COMPLETED.




Initials GHB/VS/JH/JG



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Background: SOUTH AMERICA'S LONGEST SUSPENSION BRIDGE -- THE ANGOSTURA BRIDGE SPANNING THE ORINOCO RIVER -- WILL BE INAUGURATED TOMORROW (FRIDAY) BY VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT RAUL LEONI. THE GREAT BRIDGE WILL PROVIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME A DIRECT HIGH-SPEED ROUTE BETWEEN VENEZUELA'S POPULOUS CITIES ON THE CARIBBEAN NORTH COAST AND THE VAST NEW INDUSTRIAL REGION OF GUAYANA.

THE BRIDGE WILL REPLACE AN EXISTING FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN THE TOWN OF SOLEDAD IN THE STATE OF ANZOATEGUI AND CIUDAD BOLIVAR, CAPITAL OF VENEZUELA'S BIGGEST STATE.

THE ORINOCO IS SOUTH AMERICA'S SECOND LONGEST RIVER, AND ITS FLUCTUATION WATER LEVELS COMPLICATED THE ALREADY FORMIDABLE CONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS. THE 1,240 MILE (ABOUT 2,000 KILOMETRES) LONG RIVER OFTEN RISES 50 FEET (15.2 METRES) DURING THE RAINY SEASON.

THE BRIDGE WAS STARTED IN 1963, AND WAS COMPLETED SIX MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE BY THE BUILDERS -- UNITED STATES STEEL INTERNATIONAL. THE COST WAS APPROXIMATELY GBP15,770,000 STERLING, OF WHICH ABOUT A THIRD WAS LOANED BY THE EXPORT-IMPORT BANK.

DESIGNED TO CARRY FOUR LANES OF HEAVY DUTY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, THE BRIDGE IS SIMILAR TO THE MACKINAC BRIDGE AT MICHIGAN, USA, AND THE TAGUS RIVER BRIDGE AT LISBON. IT HAS A TOTAL LENGTH OF 5,507 FEET (ABOUT 1.569 METRES) -- MAKING IT THE FOURTH LONGEST IN THE WORLD-OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA. THE CENTRE SPAN OF THE STEEL SUPERSTRUCTURE IS 2,336 FEET (ABOUT 710 METRES), AND THE MINIMUM CLEARANCE ABOVE MAXIMUM HIGH WATER IS 130 FEET (39.5 METRES).

THE LACK OF BRIDGE CROSSING ON THE ORINOCO AT THIS POINT HAS BEEN A HANDICAP TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GUAYANA REGION WITH ITS RICH IRON ORE DEPOSITS, NATIONAL STEEL MILLS AT MATANZA AND THE VAST HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEME ON THE RIVER CARONI. THE ANGOSTURA BRIDGE WILL PROVIDE THE SAME KIND OF STIMULUS GIVEN BY THE LAKE MARACAIBO BRIDGE OPENED IN 1962 TO THE LAKE MARACAIBO BASIN IN WESTERN VENEZUELA.

THE BRIDGE IS SUSPENDED BY TWO CABLES 18.5 INCHES (ABOUT 46 CENTIMETRES) IN DIAMETRE WITH A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 7,000 WIRES PER CABLE. THE SPINNING OF THE CABLES WAS COMPLETED IN UNDER SIX MONTHS.