Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill has confirmed that every test conducted on the new Demerara Harbour Bridge so far has “met and exceeded expectations.” He further told the News Room that testing has been ongoing throughout the construction phase.
“The bridge is drivable; the President will determine the date when it will open,” Minister Edghill said on Wednesday.
Load testing began on September 15, and the final works on the approach road and the roundabout linking the Heroes Highway to the bridge are almost finished. By the end of the month, the crossing is expected to be fully opened to vehicular traffic.
Last week, Edghill along with Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal conducted a site visit to establish a connector road from Providence, East Bank Demerara to the new Ogle Highway.
The aim, Edghill explained, is to establish a connector road similar to the Haags Bosch alignment. With traffic volumes increasing, the new infrastructure is expected to ease congestion, particularly at the Eccles roundabout, where traffic from the new bridge will merge.
On the bridge’s west bank, a new connector lane is already in place, allowing traffic to flow directly onto the west bank carriageway while bypassing the roundabout.
The US$260 million bridge, being constructed by China Railway Construction International Limited (CRCCL), will operate toll-free, 24/7, with a maximum speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour. Its design will also feature the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH), Guyana’s second-highest national award in the Order of Service.
More than 50,000 commuters are expected to use the new crossing daily, with annual savings estimated at $3.5 billion.
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