The Luau bridge over the Luau River in Angola’s Moxico Leste province, a key crossing on the Angola–Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border, has reopened to both light and heavy vehicles, 72 hours after authorities suspended traffic to carry out emergency structural repairs.
The closure was ordered after inspectors identified cracks in the base supporting the bridge’s metal structure, which posed a direct safety risk to vehicles using the crossing. Engineers intervened to stabilise the foundation before traffic was allowed to resume.
The Luau bridge occupies a strategically important position in cross-border trade between Angola and the DRC, underpinned by the busy border post and the proximity of the mineral-rich Lualaba region on the Congolese side.
The structure serves as a vital conduit for the movement of essential goods between the two countries, including agricultural produce, foodstuffs, fuel and manufactured products.
Luau municipal administrator Mário Zango used the occasion to urge the relevant authorities to enforce weight-limit regulations more rigorously, warning that heavy goods vehicles must not exceed permitted load thresholds when transporting merchandise across the bridge.
Zango called for strict application of enforcement measures and penalties against motorists who fail to comply with traffic and load regulations, underscoring concern that overloaded vehicles may have contributed to the structural deterioration.
The Luau municipality also functions as a strategic node for both road and rail connectivity — via the Benguela Railway (Caminho de Ferro de Benguela) — linking Angola and the DRC and supporting broader regional economic integration along the corridor.
Source: ANGOP / Original article: https://www.angop.ao/noticias/economia/reposta-circulacao-na-ponte-sobre-o-rio-luau/
