WORKS by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to construct three pedestrian overpasses along the East Bank Public Road have started, with contractor S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies and Construction Services, completing the first stage of the construction process. Installing of piles at Houston was ongoing over the weekend, a process that is near completion at the Providence and Diamond locations.

The three communities have been selected for the infrastructural upgrade in the US $364,727 project and the pedestrian overpass is expected to ease traffic congestion along the busy East Bank highway. A US$1M contract award was also announced recently by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, for the construction of overhead crossings at Peter’s Hall and Eccles, communities also on the East Bank Demerara (EBD)corridor.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI), Desilon Daniels, told the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday that the piles are driven as a foundation support for the three structures, and the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) utility companies are currently working with the ministry to remove utility equipment from the area so the first phase of the project can be completed as scheduled.
The pedestrian overpasses and fly-over bridges are being constructed as solutions to the trends of traffic jams and other setbacks and dangers along the EBD corridor.
Pedestrian overpasses are usually designed for pedestrians, cyclists, animal traffic and horse riders but not to accommodate vehicular traffic.

Over a week ago, Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, had signalled councillors within the respective constituencies to hold consultations with residents in the communities, to make them aware of the impending works so as to avoid unexpected delays and for a smooth transition.
Traffic congestion on key roads to Georgetown has been an ongoing problem for years and with an increase in vehicles coming into Guyana the situation had gotten worse, resulting in major delays for workers and school children travelling along the route during peak hours – between 07:00hrs and 09:00hrs and 16:00hrs to 18:30hrs.

The East Bank Demerara road is one of the busiest roadways in Guyana and connects roads to several villages along the way, and the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), the main access for road traffic from the West Demerara to East Demerara , the Capital City, Linden and Guyana’s main international airport – Cheddi Jagan International , at Timehri on the East Bank of Demerara.