PREPARATIONS are underway at the Moruca sub-region in the North West district for the construction of a concrete, double-Lane bridge which will replace the existing iconic infrastructure.

Santa Rosa Toshao , Sherwin Abrams told the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday that the major infrastructure project is expected to commence in June and will be undertaken over a three to four month period. A contract to the tune of $102M was awarded to a firm headed by one R. Ally to undertake the project. The new structure is expected to be built at a longer length than the existing structure, since the approaches to the current bridge has been prone to flooding in recent years.

Abrams said that this week, a meeting will be held with vendors and shop owners who have erected permanent and temporary structures close to the bridge which links the villages of San Jose and Kumaka within the Santa Rosa village lands at Moruca.

He said that in the 1990s when business persons set-up their structures close to the current wooden bridge,, business owners had agreed that if there are any works to be undertaken in the area, they will relocate to facilitate such works.” So they know of this, it is just to discuss the temporary relocation with them,” he said.

It was noted too that the education department of the Ministry of Education, based at Moruca, has been apprised of the meeting and the impending move. Abrams said that in the interim, an arrangement will have to be put in place for schoolchildren to cross the waterway by boat as the project progresses. Residents are excited about the new structure coming into fruition.

Meanwhile, Abrams said that Moruca is also awaiting the commencement of the resurfacing of the Bemichi airstrip in the area. He said that tenders for the project will close sometime this month and as soon as a contract is awarded, mobilization by the contractor will commence. An excited Abrams stated that while the design for the runway is being finalized, the structure will be equipped with reflectors to facilitate nigh landings in the event of an emergency.

The refurbishment of the Moruca Bridge is one of several projects which were catered for in the 2018 National Budget.