Old Demerara Harbour Bridge to stay retracted once new river bridge opens

The old Demerara Harbour Bridge is slated to remain retracted for 24-hour ship traffic once the new Demerara River Bridge is commissioned.
This update was disclosed by Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill during an engagement with the Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Monday.
“The day that the new Demerara River Bridge is opened, I have to open the old bridge and leave it open until I move it, because there will be no opening and closing for ships. There must be 24-hour traffic of ships coming and going,” the Minister is quoted in a DPI report as saying.
The Minister explained that this move will significantly increase the commercial viability of shipping.

Following the permanent retraction, sections of the bridge will be transferred to various areas to form new bridges. This will facilitate the movement of traffic. It will also boost connectivity in those locations.
Edghill highlighted that Timehri Sand Hills has been identified to receive the retractor and acceptor spans of the bridge, along with two additional sections.
“So, when you put it up all the way to Sand Hills, you could open and close at leisure for the bauxite tugs to pass, because the traffic crossing Sand Hills will be totally different. You are going through to get to Falmouth and then into Bartica,” he explained, according to the DPI report.
Additionally, the Minister is exploring the possibility of moving sections of the bridge to Kwakwani, Sand Creek in Region Nine, and the islands of Leguan and Wakenaam.
Meanwhile, Edghill pointed to the progress of the new bridge, noting that load testing is underway to examine the structural integrity of the landmark project.
He explained that the testing ensures the cables in the sections can bear the weight and that all dimensions meet international requirements.
“It has nothing to do with how much weight can cross the bridge,” Minister Edghill emphasised, explaining that the cranes operating on the bridge weighed 760 tonnes, while the crawlers used to move one of the girders weighed 60 tonnes.
This, he noted, shows there is no issue with the bridge’s capacity.
Importantly, the testing is being conducted in line with strict international standards set by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
Following these guidelines, the first test was conducted using five trucks, each weighing 40 tonnes.
The process involved applying controlled loads to the bridge to measure responses, ensuring it can handle expected service loads without unacceptable deformation or damage.
For the main cable-stayed bridge, the contractor, China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, will utilise 16 trucks, each carrying 15 tonnes, while computers monitor movement.
“So, standards we are not playing with,” the Minister stressed.
The bridge is currently in its final stages and is expected to be opened to the public before the end of September.