Project # 022 - Collpatomaico Suspended Bridge

Location: Peru; Santo Tomas River, District of Llusco, Province of Chumbivilcas, Region of Cusco
Bridge Sponsor: Club of Warrenton and the Rotary Foundation
Peru Sponsor: Llusco Municipality
Other Support: CADEP - Centro Andino de Educacion y Promocion
Local Community Sponsor: Community of Collpatomaico – labor and local materials
Bridge design: Zoe Keone (click here for design)
Dedication: Mr and Mrs Daniel Uzelac
Trainees: District engineers from Llusco, Santo Tomas (Provincial capital); CADEP (NGO).

Bridge name: Collpatomaico Suspended Bridge
River name: Santo Tomas River
Bridge span: 60 meter span (197 feet)
Population served by bridge: Approximately 45 families or +/- 900 people.

Bridge Story: Many years ago, before a dirt road was built connecting the small district town of Llusco with Cusco, the people used a suspended bridge – a rope suspended bridge built in the same way the Inca had done centuries before, for these are descendants of the Inca people. During that time, each year the people of Collpatomaico and surrounding villages would gather at the suspended bridge to replace the bridge – just before the rainy season. But every year there were accidents on the bridge for the platform, made just of bamboo mats, was too fragile for the heavy rains. The road may have changed the way the majority of the area communicates with the rest of the world, but it didn’t change the lives of the people of Collpatomaico or the village across the river either – they are too far away.

For several years the community of Collpatomaico has asked their local government for a bridge across the Rio Santo Tomas. The local government could never bring enough money together to meet their request. With the technology of the Suspended bridge the local government can afford to build a bridge for the community of Collpatomaico. The community is happy to use their skills in building a suspended pedestrian bridge – for one that will last them decades and bring them both trade and education.