Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI), Omadat Samaroo, hs said toll charges for the bridge are just about 10 percent higher than the ferry crossing.

He was at the time responding to questions during an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA) about concerns expressed by some sections of the public that the charges are high.

Samaroo said the toll formula for the Bridge was conceptualised based on operations, maintenance costs and several other factors.

The bridge was officially opened to vehicular traffic by President Bharrat Jagdeo on December 23, 2008, but the policy stipulates that heavy duty vehicles such as trucks are restricted. These vehicles will be using the ferry until the access roads are completed sometime in April.

Passengers are not required to pay a toll, but minibuses, cars and other light vehicles are required to pay $2,200 which Samaroo said equates to just a few hundred dollars more than crossing with the ferry.

The toll system is intended to generate sufficient revenue to cover all its operating and maintenance costs.

The 1.5 kilometre bridge, which rests on 39 pontoons, is the sixth longest floating bridge in the world, and stretches from D’Edward Village on the West Bank of the Berbice River to Crab Island on the eastern side.

The Berbice Bridge is closer to the Atlantic Ocean than the Demerara Harbour Bridge, but is narrower and makes no provision for foot crossing. Its initial toll operation will be controlled by the BBCI for a period of 21 years before it is handed over to Government.

On the western side, the access road connecting the bridge with the main highway network is approximately .8 kilometres long, while on the eastern side, the access road is approximately 3.5 kilometres in length.

The edifice was constructed by Botch Retrox and Mabe Johnson under a contract with the BBCI.

This bridge is seen as a dream realised for many Guyanese and is a fulfilment of the current’s administration’s programme. It is expected to significantly boost trade.