…to replace span nine

MINISTER of Public Works, Juan Edghill, on Saturday announced that the Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed for three days in the last week of July to allow for replacement of span nine of the bridge.
This closure is scheduled to start from 11:59 pm on July 24, 2023 to 11:59 pm on July 27, 2023.
Advised by his technical staff at the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation, the minister said this specific time period is based on the tide between the 24th of July to the 29th of July.

“While the logistics for this replacement were also meticulously planned during the closure of the school term, to ensure a smooth transition, and as little inconvenience to the public as possible.
“This notice is also being made one month ahead of schedule to ensure persons and businesses make requisite changes where necessary: persons travelling out of the country at the time of the closure, those with doctors’ appointments and other important engagements, etc., are being urged to note these changes,” the Public Works Ministry noted in a statement.

According to the statement, Minister Edghill said the government understands the significance of this replacement and is committed to seeing this project through, as this new retractor which is 170 feet long and 40 feet wide and is valued at $1.2 billion, will result in a much smoother operation (retractability) in the future, which will also enable wider vessels to pass through the channel.

“The minister is appealing to commuters and businesses for their understanding and support during these three days of closure of the bridge, as the replacement of span nine cannot be done while traffic is flowing,” the statement noted.
Last year September, span nine was damaged when the Panamanian flagged vessel MV Tradewinds Passion crashed into the bridge during a retraction period and rendered the bridge inoperable for several days.

Since then, that damaged section of the bridge had to be repaired several times, while plans were being made to replace the unit altogether.
Repairs to span nine were undertaken by a local company, Industrial Fabrications Inc (InFab), which was completed in late 2022. In May this year, span nine was transported from the dockyard to the bridge for the perfect time and tide for installation.