CABINET last Tuesday signalled its ‘green light’ to a $57,200 Euros contract for the supply and installation of a ‘PLC’ system for the retractor/acceptor span on the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB).

Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Roger Luncheon yesterday made the announcement at his regular post-Cabinet media briefing at the Office of the President, New Garden Street, Georgetown.
The 6,074 feet, or 1.851 miles long facility, which is about 34 years old, is a crucial link across the Demerara River from Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara to Schoon Ord, West Bank Demerara.
The ‘PLC’ system would replace an existing system that was installed decades ago, and has not been keeping up with the rigorous demands of traffic, and the opening and closing of the bridge.
“And what is being done is a dismantling, a total removal of the old obsolete system and its replacement by a modern PLC system,” Luncheon said.
An engineer from a Dutch firm has been responsible all these years for maintaining the operations and functions of that retractor span and that firm has been given the go ahead to do the replacement of the existing retractor span.

STRENGTHENING DEMERARA HARBOUR BRIDGE
Meanwhile, Cabinet recently signed two other contracts that allow for the strengthening of the DHB.
One award of $52.33M was approved for the supply and driving of cluster piles while $38.04M was for supplying 60,000 feet of galvanized wire rope. The cluster piles would provide some element of protection of vital infrastructure on the bridge.
“So that offending bodies like drifting ships and tugs and barges would first encounter these piles before they inflict damage on vital elements or structures on the bridge,” Luncheon explained.
Earlier this year, a mishap on the DHB saw the jaws of a temporary pontoon failing, resulting in the section of the overpass between span 60 and 61 submerging.