–design to be submitted before next month-end

THE completed designs for the much-touted East Bank to East Coast road link network, that is expected to alleviate traffic congestion on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara, are to be submitted before August month-end.

The roadway will serve as an alternative bypass from Georgetown for persons traversing between the East Coast and East Bank. The submission, however, will only be done after final approval by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Meanwhile, a draft report comprising designs, estimates and an ESIA (Environmental Social Impact Assessment) report is to be handed over to the agency on July 27. This will be followed by a mandatory 60-day consultation process.

The Technical Services Manager within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Nigel Erskine, in giving an update on the project, explained that during the 60-day process, the EPA will make all of the project documents available for perusal by the public.

At the end of the consultation process, all of the reports will be incorporated, finalised and approved, Erskine said. He added that the ministry is working towards realising the launch of the project, at least by year-end. Other aspects, such as the submission of bids, awarding of the contract and procurement, are expected to be conducted during the first quarter of the year 2020.

Meanwhile, physical work has commenced on the draining of some five km of swamp area between the East Bank communities of Mocha and Diamond that are inundated with water, he disclosed.

Erskine explained that initially, the final draft design was to have been submitted on April 13, but this was delayed to allow for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to conduct and complete an Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA).

A draft TOR (Terms of Reference) was developed by the EPA in May. The proposed main alignment will consist of four lanes stretching from Diamond to Ogle, with four connectors – at Great Diamond, Mocha, Eccles, Haags–Bosch and at Aubrey Barker Street, that would connect the East Bank Demerara road to the new alignment.

In 2016, the Government of Guyana secured a US$50M loan from the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India for the design and construction of a 20km bypass road from Ogle, ECD, to Great Diamond, EBD. The supervisory aspect of the project will be undertaken by the government.