Belizean photographer Jamil Loskot had the opportunity to capture this Belizean tradition at its best…The iconic Swing Bridge of Belize City being turned by a team of 10 men, this Sunday, May 6, 2012 at 7:00a.m.
It was a part of routine maintenance for the bridge, commented Loskot, who had the privilege of being on the bride while it was swung. (Click here for more pictures and information on Loskot Studios.
The Belize City Swing Bridge connects the north side with the south side of the city and spans over the Belize River. The bridge is one of the oldest swing bridges in Central America and one of the few manually operated in the world still in function.
The bridge requires a minimum of four men to crank it by hand until it is parallel with the river. After river traffic has passed, it is hand-cranked again until it has been returned to its perpendicular position across the river. Traffic is halted for well over an hour before the process is completed. Since 2007, the bridge is only manually opened by special request as river traffic is not as heavy as before.
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