$146.3M for feasibility study on new harbour bridge

The feasibility study for the new Demerara River crossing will be done at the cost of 6.3 million (US6,091), according to Head of the Works Services Group (WSG) under the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Geoffrey Vaughn.
At the Ministry’s end of year press conference on Wednesday, Vaughn explained that following a proposal submitted from Dutch company, LievenseCSO, Cabinet granted its approval for the company to conduct the feasibility study and design of a new bridge across the Demerara River, linking Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
The WSG Head noted that the study is scheduled to commence on January 15 and will last for a duration of six months.
The contract between the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) and the Dutch company was signed on December 9, 2016, during which Arie Mol, Advisor to the CEO of LievenseCSO, committed to ensuring that all schedules are met and completed on time.
Floating at 1.25 miles, the Demerara Harbour Bridge is a strategic link between the eastern and western banks of the Demerara River. It facilitates the daily movement of a large numbers of vehicles, people and cargo. The structure was built in the 1970s, but was opened in July 1978 with the expectation of lasting only 10 years. However, some 37 years later, it is still floating.
In 2013, the Bridge Corporation, in collaboration with the then Public Works Ministry, had carried out a pre-feasibility study. That study concluded that a ‘fixed high level’ bridge was the best option to pursue.
The study will consider the model, the tender documents and the sites proposed, and it will also make the final pronouncement on whether or not the construction is something that the country can go forward with. (Vanhu Manikchand)