Labasa’s proposed new bridge will not by itself cure the town’s chronic traffic congestion, Labasa Special Administrator Chair Paul Jaduram warned on Monday, as the town council outlined complementary measures aimed at keeping vehicles out of the central business district. The council says a package of changes — including moving the fish market and creating a new bus terminal — is needed alongside the bridge upgrade to make a meaningful difference to traffic flows.
Jaduram said the council is considering relocating the existing fish market to the opposite bank of the Labasa River and building a bus terminal on that side to free up space within the town for the bridge works and to reduce vehicular pressure downtown. Buses that currently enter the busy town centre — including services from Wainikoro, Nadogo, Qaranivai, Bulileka and Vunivau — would instead drop off passengers near the Fiji Sugar Corporation area, he said, limiting large vehicle movements through core shopping and business streets.
The proposed replacement bridge itself will be wider than the current crossing but will remain a two-lane structure rather than being expanded to four lanes. “It will still remain a two-lane bridge, not four lanes, but the lanes will be much wider. Currently, the lanes on the bridge are very narrow,” Jaduram told reporters, acknowledging that a wider two-lane bridge would ease some pinch points but would not completely eliminate delays during peak periods.
Local business stakeholders have pushed for additional measures to spread traffic and provide alternatives while the main bridge is built. Two extra bridge proposals have been put forward: one is a temporary alternative bridge near Naqai Village to maintain public access while construction of the main bridge proceeds; the other would be a permanent crossing connecting the Long Bay area to the town to help distribute traffic across multiple routes.
The council has not provided a firm start date for construction beyond saying the new bridge is expected to begin next year, but Jaduram’s comments mark a shift from treating the bridge as a standalone solution to embedding it in a broader traffic management strategy. The relocation of the fish market and the establishment of a terminal across the river are concrete steps that would change how buses and freight move through Labasa if approved and implemented.
Residents and businesses continue to face congestion while they wait for works to start. The council’s latest plan signals that when construction does begin, it will be coupled with urban adjustments aimed at reducing the number of large vehicles entering the CBD. Further details on funding, design specifications beyond lane width, and a construction timetable were not released. The council says it will continue to consult with stakeholders on the proposed additional crossings and the proposed temporary arrangements near Naqai Village.
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