THE Government is being applauded for recognising the importance of building, rebuilding and maintaining proper road networks. The East Bank Berbice road is another beneficiary of this policy, and is being rebuilt at the cost of $1.2B.
Such infrastructures, aside from being aesthetically pleasing, are important for nation-building. Roads are intrinsically linked to the growth and development of society, impacting people, communities and commerce.
In the 21st Century, making the aforementioned possible has to cater for, as a matter of priority, issues such as safety, construction quality, Guyana’s low-lying coastlands and the different types of road users, including vehicular traffic.
As a matter of fact, there needs to be a rethinking of the widely-held perception that construction only requires the throwing of bitumen and levelling it off, without regard as to how the shoulders are treated. It also needs to be taken into account that pedestrians, too, have a right to use the roads, and that safety mechanisms, such as street signs, are a necessity.
In complex societies, consideration should also be given to what types of roads are needed, given location in proximity with communities, and where there are open roads or proximity to homes, what safety precautions are necessary.
Safety ought to be a premier focus, and should be applicable to occupants of vehicles as well as pedestrians.
Speed bump zones and run-off areas on the shoulder of the road, where disabled vehicles can park or be able to pull off to as against staying in traffic and impeding its flow, are worthy of consideration in the construction process.
Modernisation should have corresponding impact on construction. Such modernisations would recognise the various types of traffic, present and forthcoming, and planning for it.
For instance, vision and foresight could accommodate thinking of worst-case scenarios such as what would proposed constructed roads look like in a quarter of a century; whether they would be able to accommodate an increase in traffic, including cars and heavy-duty vehicles.
In Guyana, the same road is used for every type of vehicular traffic, be it commercial, industrial or agricultural. From a donkey cart to an 18-wheel tractor, to a hymac, which has metal wheels that degrade the material used to construct the road, all are allowed usage. It means road construction has to be more durable, or there needs to be more regulations. This would also include examining the construction of bridges, elevating the height of overpass electrical and phone wires and so forth.
In other societies, for instance the United States, certain vehicles are not zoned or permitted to go on certain roads. For instance, if construction vehicles are being transported on some roads, they are seen being towed on a vehicle that has rubber tyres, which is intended to prevent damage to the road. Certain roads also have weight restrictions.
Another area that begs attention is the necessity of creating designated walk areas; and where this may not be possible, installing speed bumps, stop signs, or police officers sitting there with speed cameras and handing out speeding tickets, with penalties stiff and enforceable.
There must be severe consequences for bad use of the road in order to eliminate bad usage.
Preventing accidents not only through road safety regulations but also having the benefit of the input of safety associations that pay attention to high-risk points for accidents, deaths, and what are possible causes is also beneficial.
This can inform the implementation of systems to minimise the chance of causalities, physical or else. The review of regulations and where needed revamped or overhauled should be up for consideration. In the actual construction process, government oversight needs to be a priority, including placing a premium on the importance of scientific research and advancements, such as pedestrian and vehicular usage, time and frequency, and their impacting factors.
Guyana can benefit from the best practices of other societies and those with similar dynamics.
The issue is being revisited, given that many of our recently-built and rebuilt roads are not lasting. This fact begs the question, if the problem is the result of placing importance on showing, vis a vis functionality and adherence to appropriate guidelines. Taking a more deliberative approach to development would undoubtedly be helpful. Where scepticism exists, not without merit, that present constructions are not living up to the rigours of those built in the 1960s and 1970s, such as the Soesdyke-Linden Highway and Georgetown to Rosignol roadway, it cannot be ignored.
Though the Inter-American Development Bank did not provide Government the expected funding for the East Bank Berbice road, and this is being sourced from the Consolidated Fund, society holds expectation their investment will see delivery of worthy projects.