Police, Infrastructure Ministry in talks to ease traffic woes

Gafoors EBD junction

One day after a lowbed truck was involved in an accident at Mc Doom, East Bank Demerara (EBD) clocking off three lanes of the roadway, the Guyana Police Force and the Public Infrastructure Ministry are in talks to find a workable solution to traffic woes on the East Bank of Demerara.
This was related to Guyana Times on Monday by Traffic Chief Linden Isles. On Sunday, commuters traversing the EBD highway were blocked off for over two hours after a lowbed truck carrying oil rig equipment made a U-turn at Mc Doom, causing the gear to topple off onto the roadway.

Isles, while not divulging much information, noted that systems have to be developed to reduce traffic backup in that specific area.
“Presently we would have already, in conjunction with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, we already looked at the area and plans are in place to have something be done there (so) something is on stream to deal with the traffic at that particular junction,” the Traffic Chief informed.
He explained that an assessment of the area was conducted and the necessary systems are likely to come on stream soon.
Meanwhile, in relation to the investigation into the accident, the Traffic Chief noted that Police have since launched a probe to determine whether the lorry driver will be held liable for the incident.
“We are doing some investigation and coming out of that investigation, if we find that negligence and faulty packing (was involved) he will be charged,” Isles noted.
The Traffic Chief said the matter has sparked concern from a number of persons. In this regard, he said the police is concerned about the manner in which such vehicles that have the responsibility of distributing and transporting these containers actually pack them.

Asked if the Force is likely to prohibit U-turns at the junction, the Traffic Chief reminded that the Ministry has its plans which are likely to bear fruit soon, especially since an assessment of the area was already conducted.
This publication understands that the lorry, GWW 8170, was transporting oil rig equipment and while negotiating a U-turn, the items fell on the roadway.
No one was injured.
It was, however, a frustrating period for commuters, who had no other option but to sit and wait for over two hours in the lanes of traffic. Guyana Times was told that the traffic was backed up all the way to Diamond on the East Bank, while the lines in the opposite direction reached as far as Mandela Avenue.
Although Government received funding for a bypass road from Diamond to Ogle, East Coast Demerara, the project is yet to commence.
The preliminary report has pegged the project cost at US$104 million.
This Diamond-Ogle bypass project will see some 26 kilometres of roadway constructed, linking two of the country’s main thoroughfares – the East Bank Highway and East Coast Highway. This new road link will also be connected to key communities in Georgetown and along the East Bank of Demerara. These include Diamond, Mocha, Eccles – all on the East Bank – and South Ruimveldt (via Aubrey Barker Road) in Georgetown.
Back in 2016, Finance Minister Winston Jordan signed a US$50 million loan with the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India for the construction of a 20-kilometre road from Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara, to Diamond.
Since the Indian Government is funding the project, it is required that the contracts be awarded to companies from that country and as such, the 10-month design consultancy project was awarded to RITES Limited.