Discussions are ongoing regarding the removal of utilities obstructing the pathway of the US$260 million New Demerara River Bridge, a critical step towards advancing the transformational project, which is now 69 per cent complete.
The update was provided by Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill following an inspection of the site on Monday where he emphasised the urgency of expediting the project and outlined strategies for initiating works in the Peter’s Hall area.
Work in progress on the new Demerara bridge
“We are working with GTT and GPL to relocate the utilities so that we can continue the work and how we can start executing work within the Peter’s Hall area where we have acquired the properties,” he pointed out.
The project is being executed by China Railway Construction (International) Limited (CRCCL).
The hybrid cable-stayed, beam-girder concrete bridge is designed to meet the United States American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standards, ensuring it stands as a modern and resilient structure.
The crossing will consist of four lanes and will span 2.6 kilometres, connecting Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) to La Grange on the West Bank.
Its total width, including the four lanes, shoulders, and median, will be 23.6 metres, providing ample space for safe and efficient traffic flow.
With a height of 50 metres, the bridge is specifically designed to accommodate Handymax vessels passing underneath. The minimum horizontal width of the navigation span is 210 metres, but the final design is anticipated to have a more extensive horizontal span. Also, motorists and residents of the East Bank, West Bank, and West Coast of the Demerara (WCD) will enjoy no bridge interruptions, as there will be no bridge retraction. The first-of-its-kind bridge in South America will service Guyanese for at least 100 years.
When completed, the bridge will significantly enhance connectivity and support the economic growth of the region. Meanwhile, an Italian company, Politecnica was appointed to oversee construction works and assess the project design to ensure works were being executed according to the project specifications.
