–for new Demerara River Bridge

POSSIBLE modifications to the design of the new Demerara River Bridge is to be considered by Cabinet before a decision is made on the way forward, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson told the Guyana Chronicle Monday.

Patterson explained that a report on the proposed modifications to the new bridge has been prepared for Cabinet’s consideration. “No formal decision has been arrived at presently, since this has to be a decision of Cabinet,” he said.
“A report has been prepared for their consideration, however, a sub-committee having reviewed the submission has recommended an enhancement, based on the excellent response from the bidders of two types of options,” he said in response to questions from the Guyana Chronicle.

The minister offered no other comment on the matter. “That’s all I will say until Cabinet has taken a final decision,” he said.
On Monday, Stabroek News, in an article headlined “Enhanced bridge over Demerara River likely: Source” disclosed that an upgrade is expected for the planned New Demerara River Bridge. According to that article, a four-lane bridge is being considered.

Last year, preliminary findings for the first phase of the feasibility study for a new Demerara River Bridge indicated that a three-lane design is up for deliberation, since it would ease traffic flow in the area. Lievense CSO conducted the feasibility study for the new Demerara River Bridge and according to Lievense CSO Traffic Expert, Jacqueline Mouws, though a two-lane option would be cheaper, it would result in similar traffic congestion currently faced with the existing Demerara Harbour Bridge.

She said that if one of the lane becomes inoperable, then there will be a heavy buildup of traffic in the area. The Traffic expert was at the time speaking at a consultation on the feasibility study at the Pegasus Hotel. She explained that with a four-lane bridge, there would be two lanes in different directions, which would provide more capacity.

However, the amount of traffic that would travel with the four-lane structure would be too much for the road network, which would also lead to traffic snags.
As such, Mouws said, “On a three-lane bridge, you would have the option to do the double-lane opening that you do now, but still make it possible for people to do the counter flow so you would have the same system as now; you would have a double- lane opening.

“It’s just that because you don’t have to stop the traffic on the other side, they can still drive over in the morning from the East Bank to the West Bank, and you wouldn’t get the block-up that you have now at the entrance of the bridge.”
The estimated traffic flow on the three-lane bridge includes two lanes going from West Bank Demerara (WBD) to East Bank Demerara (EBD) in the morning, and one lane going from EBD to WBD.

In the evening, there will be two lanes going from EBD to WBD, and one lane going back from WBD to EBD. In the event of an emergency, there would still be more capacity to facilitate the traffic flow, Mouws said.
In 2013, the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC), in collaboration with the Central Transport Planning Unit of the then Ministry of Public Works, conducted a pre-feasibility study. That study concluded that a fixed high-level bridge was the best option to pursue.

The proposed Demerara River Bridge is approximately 2 kilometers north of the existing floating bridge, spanning from Houston on the eastern bank of the Demerara River to Versailles on the western bank of the Demerara River.

The proposed bridge will be an essential part of the road network, and will also have a significant impact on marine traffic passing under it.
The project will see the construction of an approximately 1,500m long fixed bridge with a movable span, and two approach roads of a total length of 600m. It is envisaged that the project will commence this year, and will be completed in 2020.