The bridge spanning the El Salado River, located at kilometer 34 on the Las Tunas–Bayamo highway, was reopened for vehicular traffic by noon on Monday, May 4, after two days of intensive repairs in the Granma province, according to local media and authorities.
The bridge was closed last Friday by the Granma Provincial Road Safety Commission due to a subsidence in the asphalt approach on the Granma side of the viaduct. This damage was caused by the accumulated weakening since Hurricane Melissa.
The hurricane struck eastern Cuba on October 29, 2025, as a Category 3 storm, resulting in a significant rise in the Salado River—a tributary of the Cauto River—which progressively eroded the approach embankment until it collapsed.
Structural Integrity and Repair Efforts
According to Sandra Loureiro Rodríguez, the general director of the National Road Center, the main structure of the bridge remained intact, with only the approach embankment suffering damage.
The repair work was carried out by the Sixth Construction Brigade of the Braulio Coroneaux Contingent, part of the Granma Construction and Assembly Company (COINGEX). They commenced operations at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 3, and worked continuously until 2:00 a.m. the following day.
Raudi Almaguer Capote, general director of the Granma ECM, explained that the team removed the asphalt layer and its supporting base over an area two meters wide and four and a half meters deep. This was then filled with blast rock from the El Cacao quarry in the Jiguaní municipality and river gravel from a quarry in Bayamo.
Community and Governmental Involvement
Operator Osvani Fonseca Yero expressed the urgency of the task, stating, "We worked non-stop from the start until 2 a.m. because we understand the importance of this bridge."
Yudelkis Ortiz Barceló, the First Secretary of the Communist Party in Granma, initially estimated the work would take "around 48 hours barring any equipment failures or other issues," a timeline that was met.
Ortiz Barceló acknowledged the hard work of the construction and road teams in a Facebook post, offering recognition for their efforts. Meanwhile, Governor Yanetsy Terry Gutiérrez noted that work would continue until the asphalt is fully restored, although traffic has already resumed.
Denis Arjona Báez, director of the Provincial Road Center in Granma, mentioned that an asphalt mix will be applied in the coming days to fully complete the repairs.
Impact of Closure and Broader Effects
During the bridge closure, drivers were forced to take the alternative Tunas–Holguín–Granma route via the Central Highway, leading to increased transportation costs and impacting private users and small businesses.
The bridge, measuring 50 meters in length and rising 12 meters above the Salado River's waterline, is a critical part of the 73 km highway that connects Las Tunas and Bayamo. This route, inaugurated on January 28, 1971, reduces the distance between the two cities by 76 km compared to the Central Highway.
Hurricane Melissa left several roads impassable in eastern Cuba, with collapsed bridges in Santiago de Cuba and restricted sections in Holguín and Guantánamo, resulting in a slow and uneven recovery process across the region.
Key Questions About the El Salado Bridge and Recovery Efforts
What caused the damage to the El Salado Bridge?
The damage to the El Salado Bridge was caused by subsidence in the asphalt approach on the Granma side, due to weakening from Hurricane Melissa's impact.
Who handled the repair work on the bridge?
The repairs were conducted by the Sixth Construction Brigade of the Braulio Coroneaux Contingent, part of the Granma Construction and Assembly Company (COINGEX).
How did the bridge closure impact the local community?
The closure forced drivers to use an alternative route, the Tunas–Holguín–Granma via the Central Highway, leading to increased transportation costs and affecting private users and small businesses.