Works on a major four-lane highway project along the East Bank of Demerara are advancing steadily, with sophisticated groundwork underway to accelerate construction.

During a site visit to the Land of Canaan–Garden of Eden corridor, on Tuesday afternoon, President Dr. Irfaan Ali pointed out the use of wick drains driven 10 to 18 metres below the surface to accelerate soil settlement by drawing out water trapped in the soft ground.

Layers of sand and specialised fabric are being used to distribute the load and stabilise the foundation for the new carriageway and its drainage system.

“This is the process that requires patience… It’s a gradual process of settlement when they reach a charge level. So, they install the wick drains until they reach a charge level,” the President explained.

The project, described as a key phase in the country’s ongoing infrastructure transformation, is expected to open tens of thousands of acres of land, much of which was previously swamped out areas.

“You get to see different stages of the development of this continuation of the four-lane highway all the way to Land of Canaan. And then you have the drainage system that will be installed on the outside of the shoulders of the highway,” he said.

The highway will stretch from Buzz Bee Dam, where massive development is already taking shape.

The project will connect the Mandela Highway, Heroes Highway, Ogle Highway, the old East Bank highway, and future links to Soesdyke, Timehri, Linden–Soesdyke Highway, and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Once completed, the roadway will provide a direct and efficient route between Georgetown, the East Coast, the East Bank and key inland areas.

The highway’s completion date remains tied to ongoing technical assessments.

Engineers are conducting weekly measurements of surcharge levels and settlement patterns, with a full site assessment due in two months.

Authorities insist that, despite delays linked to land acquisition and variable soil behaviour, the project will ultimately transform the landscape while preserving green corridors and supporting a low-carbon development path.