THE Road Safety Department within the Works Service Group of the Works Ministry, which undertakes the task of implementing road safety engineering countermeasure aimed at reducing the frequency of serious accidents, is this year moving to alleviate the traffic congestion experienced on several roadways. To this end, Courtney Benn Contracting Services, which under the Road Safety Improvement Project has recently been awarded three key contracts each valued at approximately $13M, has commenced mobilisation with a view to having the physical works started at the soonest.
This is according to Mr Nigel Erskine, Traffic Safety Engineer in the Roads Safety Department, in a telephone interview yesterday to update on projects up for commencement during the first quarter of this year.

EAST COAST DEMERARA
The projects involve the construction of a sidewalk from the Railway Embankment to the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen main gate, including a footbridge; geometric improvements on Vlissengen Road between Durban and Princes Streets; and expansion of Ruimveldt Avenue from Saffon Street to within the vicinity of the Ruimveldt Police Station.
Explaining the main objective of the UG project, Erskine said it would serve to ease the congestion along the UG roadway, and improve the safety of pedestrians, in particular UG and Cyril Potter College of Education students who use the thoroughfare during the evening.
The sidewalk, measuring about 100 metres, will stretch from the campus main gate to the bus shed on the Railway Embankment, while the approximately 300-foot-long footbridge will be sited across a culvert which drains the Cummings Lodge area.

VLISSENGEN ROAD
The widening of Vlissengen Road by some six feet between Durban and Princess Streets will serve to improve the vehicular discharge and reduce congestion at the Vlissengen Road/ Durban Street junction, as well as better accommodate vehicular traffic which currently flows north to south between the stretch of roadway from Durban Street to Princes Street.
And upon completion of the works, which would include the construction of a concrete drain, the flow of traffic will be reviewed with a view to having two-way traffic traverse the stretch, the Road Safety Department officials disclosed.

RUIMVELDT AVENUE
The expansion works on Ruimveldt Avenue, aimed at alleviating traffic bottlenecks, will see the expansion of the eastern portion of the roadway by some 2.5 metres, and the reclaiming of some 15 feet of space in the vicinity of the National Printers Limited.
Erskine noted that, with the widening  of that portion of the roadway, drivers of container trucks going to the Guyana National Shipping Corporation (GNSC) and those heading into the city will be greatly facilitated to better negotiate  the bend in that vicinity.

STREET LIGHTING PROJECT
In an update on the street-lighting project, which was resuscitated in 2009 with the installation of street lights from Providence to Timehri, Erskine said savings garnered from that project was used to illuminate some of the most populated areas, such as Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast; areas on the West Bank Demerara; and on the Corentyne Coast.
He further said that with an allotment of $27M for the project in 2011, more street lights were installed in other areas which were identified as densely populated and critical. This is an exercise that will be continued this year, addressing areas that are not as populated.
This year will also see the street lighting project expanded to include some bus parks in the city, following complaints by commuters that the parks which were not properly illuminated had become havens for pick pockets and others carrying out their nefarious activities. This project will be continued so as to enhance security.

CITY WORKS
Erskine identified the Route 45 bus park as an area upon which a visiting team has already compiled a report. As such, he is of the view that lighting in the area is to be enhanced by latest February month-end.