The Ministry of Public Works has put in its budgetary request to create a replacement bridge at the East End.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the minister, confirmed that $5 million had been requested in the next Budget for the structure, set to replace the ageing Swing Bridge in St George’s.

The minister said: “Over the years, we have carried out work to extend the life span of the existing Swing Bridge but we are now at a point where we must move ahead with the replacement.”

Plans to replace the Swing Bridge, which connects St George’s to St David’s, have been ongoing since 2016.

Although designs for a replacement were unveiled in 2018, it was put on hold for economic reasons.

The public works ministry carried out significant repairs last year to keep the bridge stable while designs for a replacement were solidified.

One lane of the bridge has been closed since January for repairs, scheduled until the end of March.

Plans to build the replacement bridge stalled after a land dispute arose in 2023, when it was revealed that the Swing Bridge was partially built on Stokes Point, owned by the Bermuda National Trust.

Colonel Burch confirmed that the BNT and Government had agreed on the Government’s purchase of land on the St George’s side, where the next bridge will end.

He said that $5 million would fund the preliminary work, including the final design and preparations for public tender.

The new bridge will be built to the eastern side of the present one.

Mr Burch said: “This is a complex process and we estimate it will take around three years to complete, barring unforeseen circumstances.

“Once finished, the transition to the new bridge will happen overnight and the existing Swing Bridge will be dismantled.”

He added: “We consulted residents on the type of bridge that will be built and their feedback has been taken into account.

“We now have local expertise within the ministry, thanks to a Bermudian engineer who trained abroad specifically for this project.

“While he is no longer an employee with us, we remain in close contact with him.”

The Swing Bridge was built in 1964 and was predicted to reach the end of its natural useful life by 2021.

The nearby Longbird Bridge was expected to last for the same amount of time but work to replace this was put on hold until funding became available.