GOVERNMENT will, early next month, go to tender for the construction of an overhead pass at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, Project Manager of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Sunil Ganesh, has said. Ganesh told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that tenders for the project should be advertised early next month, and works would commence early next year.

“There are about 20,000 vehicles that use that intersection, so this vehicle overhead pass would significantly reduce the backup of traffic existing in Diamond. So when the vehicle overhead pass is completed, you (would) have free flow of traffic coming out of Diamond, (and) there will be almost zero delay,” Ganesh explained.

The project manager added that in addition to the vehicular overhead pass, pedestrian overhead passes would be constructed at the Harbour Bridge, next to the office of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council; another at Eccles on the eastern side of the traffic light, and a third in the vicinity of the Houston Secondary School.

Earlier this year, Government had announced that, as part of its programme to improve road transportation, it would be building three pedestrian overpasses and a flyover at Diamond, East Bank Demerara. Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson had said that, in addition to the overpasses and flyover, road safety would be improved along the East Bank with the installation of traffic lights, streetlights, and road markings and signs.

He had said that each month, the Guyana Police Force, through its traffic statistics, indicates that pedestrians are the most affected by fatal accidents on our roadways.

“Saving even a single life is important. The pedestrian overhead crossings will be located at the Harbour Bridge intersection at Peter’s Hall, Eccles, and Houston. These sites were chosen following studies which showed that these three areas have the most pedestrian movement,” Patterson said.

As it relates to the vehicular overhead crossing at Diamond, this will be located at the intersection of the East Bank Road and Diamond. “Diamond is the biggest housing scheme in our country, and it is only expected to grow. The community is also one that suffers from serious traffic congestion, so the overhead crossing will be a relief. We expect that the overhead crossing will significantly reduce accidents; save on travel time for those from Diamond; and also precipitate a free flow of traffic at the proposed site,” the minister had said.

Meanwhile, the East Bank Four Lane Expansion Project which began in 2012 is almost completed. The Ministry is currently working on installing traffic signs and road markings on certain sections of the road. The project was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) at a cost of US$17M.