Pile driving commences to relocate GPL transmission lines along Railway Embankment

Almost two weeks after President Dr Irfaan Ali ordered that works be fast-tracked to relocate the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) transmission lines along the Railway Embankment on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), pile driving works have commenced. “Pile driving has begun along the Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara, to install new 69 kV (kilovolt) transmission lines that will replace the old network and improve electricity reliability,” the Head of State said in a social media post on his Facebook page. These works are part of the US$192 million East Coast Road Expansion Project from Sheriff Street, Georgetown, to Orange Nassau on the East Coast. The new four-lane roadway along the Railway Embankment was initially slated to be completed by October 30. However, there have been challenges with the relocation of utility properties especially the GPL transmission lines along the ECD corridor. During his October 1 visit to the site, President Ali instructed that efforts will be undertaken by GPL to start the relocation works immediately. With some of these utilities having to go on a completely new alignment, he added that the contractors should take advantage of the good weather conditions.

“They have to start driving piles out there [and] cast all of the base. You have the sunshine now… In this weather, they should finish all the pile driving and all the base [or will they] wait until the weather change to do that,” Dr Ali told officials on-site earlier this month. The full relocation of the transmission lines onto the new alignment in the backlands along the ECD corridor has a three-month deadline.
According to the Head of State, the relocation of utilities is being paired with major upgrades to the power system, ensuring that new developments along the East Coast corridor are fully integrated into the grid. These include the Enmore Industrial Zone, the La Bonne Intention (LBI) commercial/light industrial hub and surrounding housing schemes.

New developments
During the visit, it was revealed that the US$192 million project from Sheriff Street to Mahaica was some 77 per cent completed.
“This is the contract of the four-lane road expansion from Mahaica all the way to Sheriff Street… From all that we’ve seen today, physical works are about 77 per cent completed,” the Head of state had noted. Part of this project includes the construction of the new Hope River Bridge, which the Guyanese leader indicated was almost finished. At 99.2 per cent completion, the outstanding works include expansion joints, street lights, painting, and the laying of the final asphalt layer.
Once completed, this bridge will connect to the larger four-lane road corridor stretching from Mahaica to Sheriff Street via the railway embankment. The new Hope Bridge now carries four lanes, complementing the existing two-lane structure along the main ECD corridor, giving a combined six-lane crossing that will still be in use. “Looking ahead of us, Mahaica going all the way to Rosignol is the next phase of development. Most of the design has been completed there also,” he added.
The Guyanese leader had further disclosed that almost all lanes from Mahaica to Good Hope have been surfaced, with only the utility-occupied sections left to be done. “We’re not completely satisfied with the pace of work. But some of it is outside of the hands of the contractors,” President Ali said, noting that “this project will come to completion very soon.” The President’s visit was on the heels of massive buildup of traffic for several days, due to the ongoing construction works, especially during rush hours, with persons complaining of being stuck in traffic for hours along the East Coast corridor.
But once completed, this four-lane project is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion along the East Coast, improving travel times and road safety for thousands of commuters. Additionally, the residents that concerns over access to their yards have been resolved, with new entrances already rebuilt.
In December 2022, the Government and the People’s Republic of China signed a Framework Concessional Loan Agreement for US$192 million to finance Phase II of the East Coast Road Project. The project forms phase two of the Annandale to Mahaica and Sheriff Street to Orange Nassau initiative. It measures approximately 30.8 kilometres (km) in length, with an additional 5.3 km allocated for the upgrade and widening of the Belfield to Orange Nassau public road.
The works include upgrading Sheriff Street to Enmore from two lanes to four, covering 18.24 km. New construction will take place from Enmore to Mahaica. This section spans 7.73 km. The project also involves the construction and widening of 76 bridges and 42 culverts, along with the installation of 28.32 km of concrete drains on both sides of the roadway.