Ongoing upgrading of roads: Lack of alternate routes adds to traffic woes along ECD, EBD corridors – Police

The traffic situation along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) and East Bank of Demerara (EBD) remains one of the most pressing challenges for the Guyana Police Force, with officers citing ongoing infrastructural projects and limited road space as major contributors to daily congestion.
Appearing on a recent episode of Traffic and You, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Gobin, Traffic Officer for Regional Division 4C, said his area, from the Mahaica Bridge to Industry Arch, is currently one of the “hottest divisions” in terms of traffic.

“This is because of the ongoing infrastructure work on our railway embankment, where presently we have several constructions going on on the bridges. And that is between Success, Buxton, and the Enmore area,” Gobin explained.
He noted that single-lane bypasses created by the works are slowing movement and pushing more motorists onto the main thoroughfare.
“Between the Strasphey and Enmore areas… there is a single-lane bypass there that is causing the traffic to move very slowly. And because of that, you find a lot of motorists using the main thoroughfare. And that is why we are experiencing the heavy traffic in the mornings on the main thoroughfare, and that is between Enmore and Vigilance.”

To address complaints from motorists about congestion and reckless driving, Gobin said ranks have been deployed from Mahaica to Melanie.
“We line them from Melanie to Coldingen, where the complaints are coming mostly from persons overtaken and undertaken. Or I should say, boring the line to reach faster and end up straight into the traffic again, and still have to wait.”
Meanwhile, on the East Bank corridor, ASP Michael Ramdas, Traffic Officer for Regional Division 4B, said the situation is even more challenging since there are no diversion roads available between Grove and the Linden-Soesdyke Highway.
“Now, Soesdyke, it’s a very narrow road. It does not have any diversion roads. Likewise, from Grove back to Eccles, you have a diversion. You have the Hero’s Highway, another road they could use. Anyone who understands the East Bank would know that the East Bank from Grove… all the way to Linden doesn’t have any diversion road. It’s a main access road, and the construction work has to be done on the main access road,” Ramdas explained.

Overtaking during peak hours
He warned that drivers attempting to overtake during peak hours only make matters worse.
“Instead of persons that wait in the line and wait on the tour, because we call it single lanes, they’re starting to overtake. Now, the East Bank corridor is one single road, one main access road, and that’s the same road under construction. Now, when you start to overtake that line of traffic, you’re blocking the other way. Eventually, we get a bottleneck. Because none can go north, none can go south, and we eventually block the entire road off.”
Ramdas urged commuters to exercise patience, plan their travel times better, and follow the instructions of traffic ranks and flagmen.
“Even though you have to reach 8 o’clock, leave a little bit more on. Please stay within the line of traffic… Persons need to be patient; persons need to stay in the line and stop overtaking unnecessarily and blocking the road, and they will get on time.”
Both officers emphasised that while the congestion is frustrating, the inconvenience is temporary as work on new bridges and highways continues. They stressed that cooperation from road users remains critical to easing daily traffic woes. They say that while the roadworks are inconvenient now, the upgrades will ultimately bring relief.