THE members of a technical team have been identified and are expected to review some 23 expressions of interest in the construction of a new Demerara River crossing.

Minister of Public Works, Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn, in an invited comment told the Guyana Chronicle that the team will begin their review once final arrangements regarding their efforts are concluded.
He said, “We had gone out for expressions of interest. We have those from about 23 and there is a technical review committee that will look at these and shortlist those we would want to participate in a public/private, or whatever model we decide, with respect to costing and design and so on.”
Government had previously indicated that it would invite expressions of interest for a public-private partnership for the construction of the new bridge.
Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) General Manager, Rawlston Adams, in February this year, had explained that the feasibility study for the new bridge has already been completed, with Versailles on the West Bank, and Houston on the East Bank being determined as having the best advantage in terms of location. Also, Good Hope on the East Bank and Patentia on the West Bank were cited as possible locations.
Minister Benn, at that time, reported that any such arrangements will be handled by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and not his ministry, since that is the agency which attends to such matters.
He further explained that the reason such an arrangement is being sought is because the Government does not have the kind of money it will take to finance the venture.
Benn also reported that a freshwater environment is the perfect habitat in which to relocate the current Demerara Harbour Bridge, when its replacement comes into operation, with the Kurupukari Crossing on the Upper Essequibo River being listed as the likely candidate.
The new bridge will be made of reinforced concrete, have four lanes (some 20 metres wide) for vehicular traffic; a walkway for pedestrians; a cycle lane; navigational clearance (100m wide); navigational aids; and an estimated length of 2,250 meters.
The current use of the Demerara Bridge is estimated at 17,000 vehicles a day, a massive volume of traffic utilising the decades-old bridge.

(Vanessa Narine)