If you are planning to go to Caracas, Venezuela you might want to reserve some extra time for travel.
The city has been almost cut off from the international airport and its Caribbean seaport, due to the partial collapse of a critical bridge. Alternative routes between the airport and the city will take 2 to 3 hours, and that might be an optimistic estimate due to the added traffic since the collapse. The collapse took place as a result of years of neglect despite many warnings, combined with recent flooding that caused the base to shift. It has been known for years that there is a serious problem with the bridge, but the government claims total surprise with the problem. Now the same government claims that they will have an alternate route ready by the end of February. Let’s hope they are right.
The Chicago Tribune is writing about the situation in an article today:
Geologists have been warning since the 1980s that the bridge needed to be replaced. The alternatives for reaching the city from the airport are unappealing: a two hour drive through Colonia Tovar; a two-to-three-hour drive over a twisting, poorly maintained two-lane road; or a flight to a regional airport in Valencia and then an easier two-hour drive. A planned new highway to the coast will not be ready until 2010. A replacement bridge could be ready by 2007, and a temporary bypass may be ready within a month.
Global Voices Online has more detailed information on the situation and many interesting links.