Repairs to the damaged component of Retractor Span 9 on the Demerara Harbour Bridge have been completed.
Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry Deodat Indar told Guyana Times on Saturday that only the component that was broken is fixed and not the entire retractor span.
Works being done on Saturday to fix the broken component on DHB Retractor Span 9
“There was a breakage of one of the eyes on Span 9 and that is what was fixed. They haven’t fixed the whole Span 9,” Indar explained.
The bridge was closed from 11:30h to 13:00h on Saturday to facilitate the emergency repair works.
This a major traffic build-up for hours after the scheduled closure on both ends of the bridge. However, traffic began to flow after the bridge was reopened.
In the meantime, restrictions are still in place for cargo truck traversing the bridge. Only trucks carrying loads of up to 18 tonnes will be allowed to traverse the bridge and only one truck will be allowed at a time from either side to cross.
“We had to make a decision to interrupt the traffic for trucks bearing load. We have satisfied ourselves that if we release one truck at a time on the bridge, as against several trucks both going and coming at the same time, we’ll be able to alleviate some of the problems that we currently face,” Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill said during a press briefing on Thursday after conducting a site inspection on the troubled retractor span.
The broken component was discovered on Wednesday last.
A technical team – comprising of DHB engineers along with engineers Marcel Gaskin and Marley Bhaveshwar, and Captain Gerry Gouveia from local steel company, InFab Inc – has been established and was given 72 hours to come up with solutions for the issues, as a result of which retractions for marine traffic have been halted.
Minister Edghill had revealed on Thursday that they are working with the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) to fast-track access to the $890 million allocated in the 2021 budget for works on Retractor Span 9 to get these emergency works done.
“We wanna ensure that the procurement process for the works to be done at Span 9 is done according to the law but we have to move with some haste so we can get this done quickly. So, we have an engagement with the Tender Board on that to get things moving quickly,” he had explained.
Motorists traversing the bridge are urged to observe the speed limit and avoid braking suddenly – which has been said to be partially the cause of the issues being faced now.
“So, we’re appealing to all for patience. We haven’t taken the decision to shut things down, we’re gonna manage it because [we] know the importance of keeping the traffic flowing… We are committed to ensuring that this bridge stays afloat while we advance the process for the new four-lane concrete, high-span bridge [across the Demerara River] which will not have to be opened and closed but you could have 24 hours traffic – both vehicular and marine traffic,” Edghill had stated.
Already, nine international companies have pre-qualified for the construction of new Demerara River bridge. The next stage will be for the selection of a contractor after which works will commence in the last quarter of this year. Construction of the new bridge, which will be a 50-metre flyover from Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara, to La Grange, West Bank Demerara, will take approximately two years.
The construction of the new bridge will be a timely one, as the East Bank is notorious for its heavy traffic congestions due to the current retractable bridge.
Floating at 1.25 mile, the current Demerara Harbour Bridge is a strategic link between the East and West Banks of Demerara, facilitating the daily movement of thousands of vehicles, people, and cargo. The structure was built in the 1970s but was opened in July 1978 with the expectation of lasting only 10 years. However, some 43 years after, it is still floating. (G8)
