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La Taña Suspension Pedestrian Footbridge
Project # 065
Project Slide Show
Community Name: La Taña and Tesoro Chiquito
Bridge Sponsor: Flatiron Construction, RC Guatemala Sur, and RC Richmond Virginia
Partners:
Bridge Designers and Construction Coordination:
Trainees:
Dedication: Harvey L. Howlett, Jr.
Memorial:
Volunteers: Candice Hein, and Larry Sweet
River Name: Río Satan
Bridge Name: La Taña Suspension Pedestrian Footbridge
Bridge Span: 40 meters / 131 feet
Pedestrian Footbridge Type: Suspension
Population Served By Bridge: La Taña valley's poplulation is around 1,600, and the number of kids less than 14 years old is around 640 - 100 of which atttend school in La Taña
Expected Traffic:
Bridge Story: La Taña and Tesoro Chuiquito are two rural communities in the northernmost area of Uspantán. They lie right in the heart of the Zona Reyna, one of the most remote and underdeveloped regions of Guatemala. None of the communities in this region have electricity or running water (though that's slowly changing due to the efforts of the local government) and can only be reached by a three to seven hour journey from Uspantán on unpaved roads. La Taña is set in the deep, lush valley of the Río Satan and has a weekly market, a school and the region's only health center. The people of the smaller community, Tesoro Chiquito, have to cross the broad Río Satan daily, carrying their products to market, their books to school or even sick relatives to the hospital. The trip is always risky but when waters are high it can be downright dangerous. Locals tell a story of a boy who drowned years ago while trying to come home from school. The people of La Taña and Tesoro Chiquito will benefit immensely from the construction of a new bridge, allowing them safely to access their fields, their market, their schools and health center.
La Taña is the polar located at 605 meter elevation. Driving, it will take about six hours, on good roads, to get from the airport to Uspantan, the seat of the municipality. From Uspantan, it's another four hour 4x4 drive to La Taña.
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Project # 065 - La Taña Suspension Pedestrian Footbridge
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