Corentyne Highway set for full-scale paving from Sep 15

– as 200m trial run completed

In preparation for the asphalting of the Corentyne Highway under the Palmyra-Moleson Creek Highway Expansion Project, a test run was conducted on Sunday, resulting in approximately 200 metres completed. According to a social media post, the trial section is 7.5 metres wide, with a 70mm leveling course, and will undergo testing ahead of full paving, which is set to commence on September 15.
The inspection of the trial run was overseen by the Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Madanlall Ramraj and other officials, including engineers and contractors.

“From September 15, paving is expected to progress at approximately 100 metres per day. Crusher run will also be placed along the remaining road network to prepare the corridor for the wider road expansion works,” the post added.
This trial run comes months after Ramraj met with engineers, contractors and supervisory teams, urging timely completion and strict quality control of the project. The four-lane highway project has been allocated $15.1 billion in the 2026 national budget, as part of ongoing efforts to advance development.
The Minister stated that the project is aimed at transforming Region Six, noting that improved road infrastructure will enhance connectivity, support business activity and expand access to essential services. The project, which will transform the existing roadway into a four-lane highway from Palmyra to Moleson Creek, is intended to improve traffic flow, enhance safety and strengthen trade with Suriname.
However, this project has been ongoing for years, with funding, tendering, and construction activity dating back as early as 2022. In that year, $8.3 billion was allocated in the national budget for the rehabilitation of the Corentyne Main Road from Palmyra to Crabwood Creek. At the same time, procurement was already underway for what was described as the “Expansion of the New Amsterdam to Corentyne Highway Phase One,” divided into multiple lots. It was reported that by 2023, the project had moved into a more defined and heavily funded phase.

The official Public Sector Investment Programme recorded a total project cost of $105.52 billion, with $9.12 billion already spent before 2023, and a further $33.85 billion budgeted for that year. In 2024, the Government reported that work had commenced on the reconstruction of 99 structures, including bridges and culverts, and the continued clearing of utilities from the highway corridor. Works on those structures are still ongoing and some of them were slated for an April 2026 completion. In 2025, the project was formally separated into a standalone major highway development; the New Amsterdam to Moleson Creek Highway, with a $15.5 billion budget to commence work on the four-lane road. Procurement for that phase shows major international and regional contractors participating in the bidding process, including China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and Vishwa Samudra Engineering, with bids for individual lots ranging from approximately US$189 million to over US$257 million. In 2026, the project continues to advance, with a further $15.1 billion allocated; $4.83 billion had already been spent before this year on the current highway package.
The works are being executed across multiple lots by contractors, including CRBC and Vishwa Samudra Engineering Ltd, under the supervision of engineering consultants.