The Ministry of Public Works on Wednesday inked a contract with China Railway Construction Corporation for the construction of the new Demerara Harbour Bridge from Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD) to La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD).
The project totals US$260M and will run for two years. The new bridge will have a lifespan of 100 years.
The bridge is 2.65 kilometres in length and features a four-lane for vehicular traffic. Bridge opening will be a thing of the past as there will be a 50 metre flyover at minimum to allow for marine vessels to pass without interrupting vehicular traffic.
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, during his feature address, said this is "history in the making."
“Not history in the sense of a one off isolated project but history in the sense of a major transformational project that is part of a much larger, comprehensive plan for transforming Guyana. The making of modern Guyana is well underway and today’s generation of Guyanese are incredibly privileged not only to witness the making of modern Guyana but to be part of it,” Dr. Singh stated.
According to him, this shows the government’s commitment to making life easier for citizens.
“This government commitment is to achieve a real, visible tangible , meaningful and lasting transformation of all aspects of life for the benefit of all of the people of Guyana and this bridge constitutes an important part of that much broader agenda.” The Finance Minister urged the Minister of Public Works to ensure the project is executed on time with the highest specifications.
With the development of the new bridge, it will ease the traffic congestion experienced by the users of the old Demerara Harbour Bridge.
