– free shuttling of commuters from Vreed-en-Hoop junction to ferry stelling, among plans

THE Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, on Wednesday, gave all assurances that arrangements are in place for the upcoming three-day closure of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB).

The meeting followed a public announcement made a month ago.

The bridge will be operational until 23:58 hours on Monday, July 24, and work will commence on the structure on July 25. It is expected to be reopened on July 28.

According to the Public Works Minister, the aim of the engagement was to meet all the stakeholders, including truckers, business owners, police and coast guard ranks, airline officials, medical personnel and minibus drivers to discuss the way forward so as to ensure a smooth flow during the three-day closure.

“This stakeholder engagement this afternoon is designed to ensure that that interruption is prepared for [and] we address all the factors that need to be calculated and worked through to mitigate the fallout from the non-operational hours of the bridge. To ensure that there is public order…[and] to ensure that everyone who needs to get to their flight to depart Guyana gets there on time,” he said.

He said further, that the consultation provided a platform for all stakeholders to address their concerns and hear what plans the management of the DHB has put in place for Region Three and other regions that require the use of the bridge during that period.

The minister stated that they will be racing against time to ensure that the DHB is back in operation by, or before, the stipulated time.

He noted that the original proposed time frame for this project indicated that works would have taken a maximum of seven days to complete; however, because of the nature and use of the bridge, the time has shifted to a minimum of three days, at which time other maintenance works will be done.
He also said that while they expect interruptions, they hope to have as little as possible.

Meanwhile, the DHB’s Chairman, Ravi Ramcharitar said: “The works on span 9 was planned since last year, and it’s in the interest of public safety that we are replacing span 9. It’s not just a decision that was taken lightly; we recognise that the existing span 9 is in a terrible state mechanically, and it needs to be replaced.”

The outcome of the consultation engagement resulted in several assurances being given by officials to stakeholders.

They included notifying the public that the suppliers of goods have started taking steps to ensure there are adequate supplies to Regions One, Two, Three and Seven; a commitment from the Guyana Police Force that its ranks will work with citizens to enhance public order and safety; a continuous shuffle of commuters from the Vreed-en-Hoop junction to the ferry stelling in more than two 30-seater buses and the 24-hour availability of the crossing between Wales and Grove.

The suggestion of buoys being placed as signals for the water-taxis to stay in their lanes to avoid collisions will be addressed and action will also be taken to ensure that the Mayor and City Council engage persons around the Stabroek Market area to keep the lanes open for a smooth flow of traffic for those three days.

Moreover, in case of an emergency, the minister noted that a water ambulance will be in place to facilitate medical emergencies during the closure.