West Side and East Bank commuters will benefit from the landmark new Demerara River Bridge, which will link the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) and the West Bank of Demerara (WBD) within two years.
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) announced an exclusive work zone on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, as building began.
MARAD stated in the notification that an exclusive zone is being effected, with two transit portions for vessels near the retractor and high spans of the existing Demerara Harbour Bridge.
Construction will take place south of the Demerara Harbour Bridge on the West Bank to East Bank of the river.The exclusive work area shall be blocked and bounded…” MARAD advised vessels to navigate with “extreme caution” nearby.
Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal met with Peter’s Hall homeowners on the EBD in February to start relocating 20 structures in the alignment.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill announced earlier this year that all residents along the new Demerara River Bridge’s path have agreed to move without resistance. This year’s budget allocated $5.2 billion to advance construction.
Mohamed’s Enterprise donated their US$3 million Providence beachfront property to the government in January to help build the new Demerara River crossing.
In May 2022, a joint venture led by China Railway and Construction Corporation Limited signed a US$260 million contract to build the new bridge, which would land at Nandy Park on the East Bank and La Grange on the West Bank.
The bridge received $21.1 billion in 2022. The China Railway and Construction Corporation (International) Limited-led joint venture outbid four pre-qualified international businesses for the project. The Guyana Government, through a legal and engineering team, negotiated the contract terms with the Chinese corporation months before awarding it.
The 2.65-kilometre, four-lane, high-span, cable-stayed bridge spanning the Demerara River will have a driving surface width of 23.6 meters. With a 50-metre fixed-high span and a bicycle lane, the bridge will eliminate vehicular traffic restrictions. To accommodate huge vessels, the river will be dredged 13.5 km.
This bridge will replace the decades-old floating Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB). The 1.25-mile (2.01km) Demerara Harbour Bridge connects the East and West Banks of Demerara, allowing thousands of vehicles, persons, and goods to pass daily.
It will improve communication to the EBD road, the Diamond-to-Ogle bypass route on the eastern side of the river, and the WBD road, the Parika-to-Schoonord road on the western side.
The Schoonord-to-Crane four-lane highway, part of a bigger project to build a secondary road link to Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), was contracted for $11.8 billion in September 2022.
