– with new road projects

Dear Editor,
IT IS with much dismay that I pen this correspondence. I have been involved in the environmental monitoring of construction projects for the past 15 years, and much hasn’t changed in the way projects are executed.

At the conceptual stages of projects, a lot of effort and money is spent on conducting an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and preparing an environmental management plan (EMP). The EMP is essentially the blueprint which details mitigation measures to address all possible impacts of the project on the biophysical and social environment.

During the construction stage of some projects, very little effort is placed on implementing the recommendations of the EMP. Also, at the bidding stage, it is common knowledge that the lowest responsive bidder is usually awarded the project; to remain competitive, most contractors underbid for environmental, health and safety etcetera. This simply means that there aren’t sufficient funds to implement the EMP.

Coupled with very little involvement from agencies responsible for monitoring, we have projects that generate significant social distress and environmental damage.

The East Coast Expansion roadway is a very good example to illustrate this. Construction is spread out in large sections instead of smaller phased sections, which will reduce the traffic backup. The traffic bottleneck is exacerbated by the unpaved diversion, with numerous potholes and uneven sections. This creates havoc at peak hour.

A paved diversion would allow for smoother traffic flow; diverting traffic onto the railway embankment cannot solve the current problem, since this road cannot accommodate the volume of traffic.

Dust levels are excessive in areas, including Better Hope, which has many schools; very little effort is made to abate this nuisance. We all know the danger of dust, especially for asthmatic patients. In terms of safety, there is an absence of advisory and warning signs throughout the corridor; the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) provides a list of the type of signs that are needed for construction projects.

Again, the roadway is poorly lit at night; this is hazardous, and increases the risk of accidents. Large excavated sections and drop-offs are not cordoned; this is extremely dangerous.

Traffic management is absent entirely on this project; many times trucks and excavators cross the roadway without any flag-men present to assist with traffic control. Road users are left to negotiate the roadway at their own risk.

There is a great need for better planning and execution of construction projects in Guyana. The commencement of construction on Sheriff and Mandela coincided with the reopening of school; this created major inconveniences.

Work is being done on the Railway Embankment by the Conference Centre simultaneously with the main road; the traffic lines are extremely long in the afternoons. Some mornings at peak hours, the police would close off the main road to facilitate construction; this results in an hour-long wait from Better Hope to Georgetown.

I implore the relevant agencies to address the plight of commuters and the people living in close proximity to construction project sites. We deserve better.

Regards
Environmentalist