The Flat Bridge is a beam bridge across the Rio Cobre on the A1 road connecting the Jamaican capital Kingston, with the north coast tourist areas of Dunn's River and Ocho Rios. It is one of the oldest bridges in Jamaica.
Learn more insights from Wanderboat AI.
Built sometime around turn of the the 1800s.
When this bridge was being constructed, the sixteen plantations in the Bog Walk area were obliged to send one slave in every fifty to work on the River Road, sometimes called Sixteen Mile Walk. Gravel, marl, lime, sand and stone had to be dug. Slaves often lost their lives as they performed dangerous tasks in the Gorge. Contracts for timber and for masons to work on the bridge were authorized at vestry meetings.
Between 1881 and 1915, the floor of the bridge was washed away and later re-floored with iron girders and buckle plates taken from the original flooring of the May Pen bridge. Today, the bridge of three spans is supported by two piers and two abutments. In the 1930s it had metal handrails and later wooden ones, but these were devoured by the river at different times. Semi-circular spheres are now the only protection on the bridge itself.
The Flat Bridge is one of Jamaica’s oldest bridges
Today it is a beam bridge with no supporting rails and functions as a single lane bridge for vehicular traffic and the lesser pedestrian seeking to cross between vehicles. It has a traffic light system to manage...
Read more
This is a historical bridge built by slaves in Jamaica. It is a tiny bridge which only allows one vehicle at a time to cross. There have been a number of deaths here because vehicles will run right over the bridge and the passengers usually drown in the river the bridge crosses. There are no railings and it is advisable not to walk across the bridge because of how flat it is. Whenever there are heavy rains the river over flows its banks and completely covers the bridge making it impassable. It is also said that the Flat Bridge is haunted by the spirits of the slaves who died...
Read more
Base on history this bridge was build in the 1800s. Actually without this bridge it would have been difficult for others to travel from Spanish town to bogwalk,ochi,montego bay,negril. Which the route would be more easier. Unlike now they have many other roads. Also if they build railing on the bridge it would be a problem as to where when there is flood a lot of trees etc flow don't to the bridge so it would cause a lot of blockage and not only that the water that flows there is very strong so it will tear down...
Read more
