Load testing begins on US$262M Demerara River Bridge

Load testing has officially begun on the new US$262 million Demerara River Bridge, marking one of the final stages before its highly anticipated opening later this month. On Monday, engineers conducted the first round of testing on the bridge’s western approach, using heavyweight trucks to assess structural integrity. Public Works Minister Juan Edghill explained that the exercise involves positioning 16 trucks at various points on the bridge to simulate maximum load pressure. Testing is expected to continue over the next two weeks, with the eastern approach scheduled for September 16 and a critical high-span test set for September 25. The new four-lane, 2.6-kilometre (km) bridge stretches from Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) to La Grange on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD). With a fixed-high span of 50 metres, it will allow Handymax vessels to pass unobstructed beneath. The bridge is designed with a lifespan of 100 years and will operate toll-free, 24/7, with a maximum speed limit of 80 km/h. Its design will also feature the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH), the country’s second-highest national award.

Once commissioned, the bridge will replace the aging Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), a floating structure that has long struggled with congestion and frequent closures. The DHB will be removed and repurposed to bridge other waterways across the country. The project, undertaken by China Railway Construction (International) Limited with Politecnica as the supervisory consultant, is one of Guyana’s most significant infrastructure upgrades to date. President Dr Irfaan Ali, who inspected works at the eastern approach road earlier this month, confirmed that the final phase of roadworks is progressing well ahead of the bridge’s opening.
Flyovers
Even with expanded road networks to accommodate the traffic from the new Demerara River Bridge, the Guyana Government is exploring the construction of flyover infrastructure to add efficiency to the growing traffic that is anticipated with the completion of the bridge project. To support the new bridge, approach roads are being constructed at both ends of the bridge, which land at Nandy Park on the EBD and at La Grange on the WBD. On the eastern end, a four-lane road is being built out to take the bridge traffic directly onto the Heroes Highway, where a roundabout is currently under construction. According to the Head of State, “The ultimate goal, for the greatest efficiency, is to have two flyovers: one on the Heroes Highway and one on the West Bank.” However, the President noted that these are projects that his Government is looking at undertaking in the future and not immediately. In the meantime, the Heroes Highway is being expanded to add two collector lanes to receive the bridge traffic and send it on to the four-lane Haags Bosch road, which connects to the Ogle-Eccles Road link.