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With effect from April this year, all heavy vehicles with single axle above 11.5 metric tones will not be allowed to use the Adomi Bridge. Consequently, all such vehicles will be re-routed through the 60-kilometre Juapong-Adidome road to help save the life of the bridge which is tilting towards the coastal side. These measures are to ensure the lifespan of the over 50-year-old bridge which expert say will collapse if heavy or overloaded vehicles are allowed to use it. This decision was arrived at when the Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Mr Rojo Joseph Mettle Nunoo, together with some technical experts inspected the bridge and conducted a special exercise to emphasize the need for transporters to adhere to the required total weight limit of 30metric tones per vehicle. Double axle vehicles must not exceed 22-metric tones. In the event that these measures are not adhered to, and the bridge collapses, the route to northern Volta, Northern Region, as well as Togo will be closed and businesses within these areas would cease over 500 million dollars would be needed to replace it. The Deputy Minister has therefore called on the public and media to collaborate with the ministry to help drum home this message to save the life of the Adomi Bridge, saying: �it is a national asset that needs to be preserved.� Six contractors will therefore be engaged to upgrade the gravel surface to butimen surface road within the next two months since it is an emergency situation. Mr Peter Dagadu, Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Administration at the Ghana Highway Authority, contributing, was optimistic that emergency project would be executed quickly and therefore allow the heavy duty vehicles to cross the bridge. As a immediate measure, the Ghana Highway Authority will introduce some weight control mechanisms to compel transporters to abide by the directive of not exceeding the 30 metric tones per truck within the period under which the upgrading would be completed. Earlier during the inspection of the bridge, a number of vehicles were intercepted for infractions of the law. A truck was impounded for smuggling unaccustomed textiles from Togo. It was subsequently escorted by security operatives back to Accra.