The Ministry of Public Works removed the concrete barriers that had been placed on the Duarte Bridge that spans the Ozama River. As reported in El Caribe, the 103 ramparts weighed the same as a stand-still traffic jam of 200 vehicles, considerably affecting the lifespan of the bridge that has long been due for the completion of major repairs. The ministry ordered a study of the 50-year-old bridge’s state by a Costa Rican company, and later announced major maintenance works at a cost of US$17 million.