–Public Works Minister tells residents; warns chains, boulders on reserves create challenges to upgrades, water, flood management
RESIDENTS who place chains, boulders and other barriers on road reserves could hinder efforts to improve parking, pedestrian safety and drainage across Georgetown, as the Ministry of Public Works advances upgrade works to road shoulders across Guyana.
Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill on Thursday took the opportunity to tell residents that pavements and road reserves in front of their homes are state property, as officials outlined how the ongoing works are intended to improve road conditions, reduce flooding and protect ongoing investments in infrastructure.
The programme involves clearing, excavating and filling roadside verges with compacted crusher run and other suitable materials to provide firmer surfaces for parking, improve water runoff and create safer spaces for pedestrians and cyclists.
Speaking during a live briefing on Thursday, Edghill said the programme is part of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government’s commitment to expanding concrete roads, concrete drains and improved access across the country.
“The promise of the PPP/C administration, written in our manifesto, that the next wave of development that we are bringing across the country, we have the concrete roads, and we are going to concrete drains, and establishing better accesses,” he said.
Edghill related that some residents, in addition to blocking pavements, construct pavements higher than the adjoining road, causing water to accumulate on the roadway and cause damage to infrastructure.
This, the minister noted, can contribute to flooding and damage to asphaltic roads, requiring further expenditure to repair infrastructure.
The minister said residents must understand that the areas in front of their properties are not private spaces, and should not be blocked by boulder, chains or any other barriers.
“The pavement in front of your house is not your property. That is state property,” Edghill said.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Madanlall Ramraj, said contracts have been awarded to improve road shoulders across Georgetown, with work already underway in several communities.
He related that many roadside verges have remained unpaved for years, becoming muddy and uneven during rainfall, while depressions allowed water to collect.
At the same time, the increasing number of vehicles in the capital city has placed greater pressure on available road space and parking.
“Under this programme, road shoulders, that is verges, will be cleared, excavated, and filled with compact crush and run, or other appropriate aggregates, to create a former, more durable surface. This will provide improved space for parking, where appropriate, helping to reduce parking within traffic lanes, and support better use of the existing road corridor,” Ramraj said.
The improvements are expected to provide additional parking, reduce the need for vehicles to occupy traffic lanes and make better use of existing road corridors.
Programme Manager Kester Hinds said the upgrades would improve safety for all road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists who are often forced onto roadways when roadside verges become soft and muddy during rainfall.
He said that in communities with narrow streets, constructing separate pedestrian sidewalks may not be practical because of space constraints.
The upgraded shoulders would also give drivers a place to pull off safely when dropping off or collecting passengers, or when a vehicle breaks down.
Moreover, Hinds also cited the removal of chains, boulders and other barriers as an important part of the programme, noting, “When it comes to most of our communities, as part of the initiative, we have a situation where in most of these communities and most neighbourhoods, someone will put boulders, a barrier or chains on the road reserve, thus preventing even pedestrians from traversing the area.”
In efforts to address this, Hinds noted that programme will also be supported by traffic signs, road markings and speed-calming measures to address safety concerns in communities.
Head of the ministry’s Miscellaneous Roads Programme Kevin Tucker, said the road-shoulder initiative has been incorporated into the ministry’s wider road-improvement programme.
According to Tucker, approximately 50 contractors are working across Georgetown, from Houston to Cummings Lodge, with nearly 260 road-shoulder projects having already been identified for Georgetown and more than 2000 nationwide.
Tucker explained that the shoulders form an important part of the road structure and ensuring its lifespan remains an important part of the project.
He said: “The road shoulder is part of the road, forms part of the road employment, and it’s one of the more key features of the road. And what we’re looking to do is provide a more uniform platform to help the road increase its lifespan. We have made significant investment, and it is important to protect that investment.”
The ministry said the improvements form part of a wider effort to strengthen road infrastructure, improve drainage and make Georgetown’s streets safer and more functional for residents and motorists alike.
