Barge, tug collide with DHB, shifted bridge’s alignment

…only light traffic permitted on bridge
…company to pay “full restitution”

Vehicular traffic was stuck on both ends of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) for several hours on Sunday after a barge collided into Span 9 of the bridge during the retraction period.
According to the DHB Corporation, the incident occurred approximately 11:31h. At the time a vessel, named ‘Desal 1’ that was carrying two tugs – Alpha 1 and Chaka – with sand, was travelling northbound when it hit the edge of the retractor span (Span 9) of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

The impact from the collision pushed the bridge out of alignment, causing the breakage of the connecting end post at Spans 8 and 7; this in turn resulted in a transom to be warp with a slight opening.
The accident also caused several buoys attached to the floating bridge to burst.
Minister within the Public Works Ministry Deodat Indar told the Guyana Times more than 10 areas of the Harbour Bridge were damaged from the collision.
“There were some structural damages to the bridge under, especially with the arms that are holding up Span 9. There is some trans and beams, and end posts, and other structures that were damaged, [as well as] about four of the anchor chains were burst. A number of damages had happened,” Indar explained.
Since the incident Sunday morning, engineers and technical staff attached to the DHB Corporation were working on getting the bridge back in alignment for several hours.
In a statement from the Harbour Bridge on Sunday, the collision pushed Span 9 out of line and also caused breakage of the connecting end post at Spans 8 and 7.
“That caused a slight opening there and no vehicle can be allowed on the bridge out of an abundance of caution, we are working to get this [bridge] back up as soon as possible, but right now it’s hard to give a specific time,” one Engineer stated mid-Sunday afternoon.
While Minister Indar was at the bridge overseeing the works for most of the day, President Dr Irfaan Ali also visited the site inspecting the emergency repairs.
Since this incident, the bridge had been closed to vehicular traffic on both ends for over seven hours. Commuters were forced to use the ferry stelling to get across to either side of the Demerara River.
The Demerara Harbour Bridge is a critical infrastructure, linking Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
Nevertheless, the engineers and technical staff were able to completed initial repair works including fixing the power module of the hydraulic system to allow the retractor span to reclose. This was done just after 17:00h thus allowing for vehicular traffic as well as pedal cyclists to flow both ways.
In order to clear up backed-up traffic in an efficient manner, vehicles were allowed to cross the bridge without paying the toll.
Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, who oversaw the reopening, explained that this was done as a compensation for having persons waiting for several hours as they repair the bridge. However, this free pass lasted less than an hour since the bridge was reopened late Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, due to the extent of the damages, only vehicles weighing 10 tonnes and under are being allowed to cross the bridge as of now. This means trucks above that weight will not be allowed to traverse the bridge over the next few days.
According to Minister Indar, remedial works on the bridge will be continuing for at least three days in order to get the bridge fully functional again.
“They will be working on a 24-hour basis to deal with the structures under the bridge but we cannot accommodate heavy traffic at this moment. And traffic has to come slowly on the part where the bridge was joined [at] Span 8.
“We are looking at two-three days of work non-stop there. It’s a lot of damages,” he told this newspaper.
As a result, commuters are advised to take precautions over the coming days whenever they see the cones while crossing the bridge to not cause further damages to the structure as the technical team work.
Moreover, the DHB Corporation’s Management has also been in contact with the local consignee of the vessel and Tug & Barge that crashed into the bridge.
“The Government has already informed the company – the agents and everybody – that they will have to bring full restitution to the Demerara Harbour Bridge about the damages. I’ve actually issued an order to this effect,” the Minister within the Public Works Ministry related.
Guyana Times understands that the vessel involved was headed to the Island of Martinique.
Sunday’s accident has reenforced the imminent need for a new bridge across the Demerara River.
The current PPP/C Government is looking to build a fixed 2.65-kilometre four-lane high-span cable-stayed structure across the Demerara River. The bridge, which features a bicycle lane, is expected to bring an end to closures to vehicular traffic with a 50-metre fixed high span to cater for the free flow of vessels uninterrupted.
In fact, Government signed a US$260 million contract in May with a joint venture led by China Railway and Construction Corporation (International) Limited, for the new bridge to be constructed.
Already, preparatory works are being carried out for the project to get underway. Construction is slated to commence soon and will last for some two years. (G8)