Feature: Chinese-built new bridge to promote well-being of local Tunisians

TUNIS, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) — Bizerte, a Tunisian city located on the Mediterranean Sea, is famous for its long and flat beach which attracts many tourists each summer. However, the local people will remind the tourists that a bridge may “affect your mood.”
The bridge is the only one across the Bizerte Canal which divides the Bizerte city into two parts. Built in 1980, the bascule bridge has to be closed to road traffic regularly every day, as it has to lift the bridge deck to provide clearance for ships sailing on the canal.
During the peak tourism season, vehicles to cross the bridge have to line up in long queues. In order to save time, many locals have to detour 60 km to reach the other side of the canal. The locals have been eagerly looking forward to a new bridge to alleviate their daily traffic difficulties.
The long-held dream finally came true in March, when China’s Sichuan Road and Bridge Group (SRBG) signed a contract with Tunisian Ministry of Equipment and Housing for the construction of a new bridge in Bizerte.
The residents of Bizerte will see a new bridge in 38 months, Minister of Equipment and Housing Sarra Zaafrani Zanzri told Xinhua after the signing ceremony, noting that Tunisia chose the Chinese company in light of its excellent experience and technology, as it has built many large bridges in such countries as Norway, Türkiye and Egypt.
Now, the new bridge in Bizerte is under construction as scheduled. Chen Junfeng, the deputy general manager of SRBG’s Tunisian company, told Xinhua that the new bridge is designed to be 56 meters high, the maximum span between the two piers in the water is nearly 300 meters.
The new bridge will be the largest in Tunisia, and will allow ships passing through the canal easily without frequently lifting its deck as the old bridge does, said Chen.
The employees of the SRBG from China are warmly welcomed by the local people. They served the Chinese engineers with fruits and desserts when they were inspecting the terrain around the project area. And when Chinese employees dressing in yellow construction vests walking on the street, the locals gave them a thumbs-up, said Chen.
Hermann Rosario Sakponou, an engineer from Benin, has been working for the new Bizerte bridge project since half a year ago.
Sakponou is very proud to participate in the project, voicing confidence that the Chinese technology and construction quality can make this bridge a landmark in Tunisia, as well as in North Africa.
Sakponou, who once studied at China’s Southwest Jiaotong University, said he is happy to use the engineering knowledge he learned in China for infrastructure construction in Africa.
In Tunisia’s August, with the outdoor temperature reaching over 40 degrees Celsius, Chokri Maatoug, a 55-year-old Tunisian civil structural engineer, worked together with young Chinese engineers, examining and analyzing the soil structure sampled by the drill every day.
Maatoug said he understood how important the new bridge project is for the Tunisians, so he is happy to work for it no matter how hard it is.
He believed that the rich experience of Chinese companies in building large infrastructure projects will ensure the smooth progress of the project.
“What impressed me even more was the dedication shown by Chinese employees, and the pride they showed in being a global leader in the engineering industry,” he added.
The design drawing of the bridge looks very beautiful, Maatoug said, noting that on top of easing traffic pressure in the area, this beautiful bridge will become a famous tourism attraction, which will bring a fresh source of income to the area.
Laamar, a cafe owner in Bizerte, said that talk among locals of a plan to build a new bridge has been going on since 2013. Now they are feeling relieved when they saw the Chinese company is here starting the new bridge project.
The Chinese manager Chen said the SRBG is confident that this bridge will contribute a lot to the wellbeing of the Tunisian people when it completes. ■