Project # 039 - La Vega Suspended Bridge

Location: Honduras; District of Sulaco, Region of Yoro
Bridge Sponsor: The Rotary Clubs of Warwick, Virginia and Yoro, Honduras and the Rotary Foundation
Local Honduras Sponsors: District of Sulaco
Local Community Sponsor: The village of La Vega
NGO partner: Ayuda en Accion
Volunteers from USA: Dr. Gaylord Ray with help the La Vega residents for over 4 weeks during construction. Gaylord is from Gloucester, Virginia. Also, this bridge may benefit from volunteers Chris & Robert Lynds from Paso Robles, California.
Trainees: Engineer and Technician from Ayuda en Accion; Technicians and Masons from the Municipality of Sulaco; Peace Corps volunteer.
In Memory of: Dr. Edward S. Ray and Nurse Jule Keyes Ray

Bridge name: La Vega
River name: Sulaco
Bridge span: 75 meters / 246 feet
Population served by bridge: 2000 people

Bridge Story: The village of La Vega is permanently separated from the town of Sulaco. In Sulaco there is a clinic, schools, and most importantly, access to a major highway that dissects Honduras. Having access to this highway will provide the La Vega residents substantially increased market opportunities. Yet, for maybe 8 months of the year, the river cannot be crossed – by adults, and definitely not children. And when they try, too often they pay with their lives.

Soon, there will no longer be a problem for the village of La Vega to grow and develop, because soon the village of La Vega will have a pedestrian bridge over the river. And to that end, the whole community has agreed to build the bridge with their own labor. For, while Bridges to Prosperity is there to train them to do so and help with furnishing cable, this will be their bridge. Built with their own sweat, and their own sand and stone.