DEMERARA Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) has reported that approximately 7,000 vehicles crossed its overpass, heading in a westerly direction, on a daily basis, during 2010.
From that traffic, revenue in excess of $395M was garnered during that year, it said, adding that, with an overall 2,552,725 vehicles proceeding West for the entire period, traffic flow increased by 8.7 per cent. To deal with this higher volume, DHBC management instituted a double lane system, Manager, Mr. Rawlston Adams informed at an end-of-year news conference, hosted last week Saturday, by subject Minister, Mr. Robeson Benn.
Adams, who described 2010 as a challenging but highly productive year, said  DHBC operated on a capital subvention of $705M, with expenditure, at December 31, of $357M.
He disclosed that, during the year under review, contracts for capital works on the bridge were worth $664.1M and some signed in the latter quarter of 2009 and are ongoing.
Adams said the works included the servicing of 29 pontoons, fabrication of 30 distribution beams and 1,355 deck plates, 23 transom beams, 45 buoys and rehabilitation of the two hydraulic ramps, for which the award was made in the last quarter of 2010.
He said all should be completed during the second quarter of this year but, for the installation of the ramps, the bridge will be closed to marine traffic for approximately four days.
Adams said works will be executed at night to avoid any traffic congestion.
Apologisng for any delays to be encountered for the duration, he said, although, at times, the public will be apprised of the exact time of disruptions, the jobs would be undertaken to allow for the adjustment of travel arrangement.
He said, late in 2010, security cameras linked to the Police network were installed on the bridge and the surrendering of tickets at the western end was discontinued.
Adams said the 2011 programme caters for replacing the entire length of electricity cables which stretch across the 1.8 kilometres long bridge, which has been in place for in excess of 15 years.
This year, too, the fabrication of distribution beams will continue and the two extra large pontoons will be rehabilitated, he said.
Meanwhile, DHBC will be involved in the rehabilitation of all acrow panel bridges countrywide.