Work on the four-lane extension road project being undertaken on the East Coast and East Bank highways is expected to be fast-tracked next year.
While there have been some delays owing to several issues encountered by the contractors, the work should be completed by the first quarter of 2014 at the latest.
This is according to an official of the Public Works Ministry.
Stern warning
According to the official, most of the issues that were brought to the attention of the Work Services Group (WSG) of the Public Works Ministry have been corrected, and contractors have been given a stern warning about meeting the deadlines.
The roadworks being done along the East Coast of Demerara consist of six lots.
The contract for lot one was terminated and was awarded to Dipcon Engineering by government. This phase of the project is moving ahead and the works are expected to be completed soon.
Some challenges are being experienced at lot two of the project as a result of disputes over land, with persons who live there.
For lots three and four, for which Courtney Benn Contracting Service is responsible, works have been moving at a slow pace. The contract for that lot was extended until March 2014.
Salba Engineering is responsible for the final lot, which starts from the Mon Repos market to just before the Good Hope Bridge.
That component of the project is expected to be completed by the end of January 2014.
East Bank
On the other hand, the four-lane extension on the East Bank of Demerara consists of three lots. Dipcon Engineering is responsible for lot one, which had some challenges caused by GT& T power poles. Works on lots two and three have commenced, and the construction of a high bridge is also ongoing.
The entire project should be completed by next year.
Government had received US$ 20 million from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), for the East Bank Demerara Four Lane Extension project.
The main objectives of the project are to enhance urban and suburban mobility and safety by lowering transport costs and reducing accident rates via the expansion of the East Bank Demerara main road between Providence and Diamond from two lanes to four lanes.
The country’s coastland continues to face heavy traffic especially during peak hours. The high influx of imported vehicles has contributed significantly to this.
With the heavy traffic on the East Bank highway, there has been much confusion and congestion, which affects hundreds of commuters, causing the tardiness of workers and schoolchildren.
Traffic
The afternoon traffic is said to be the worst. The congestion has contributed to the numerous accidents that continue to occur on the busy highway, which is the only ingress or egress for Guyana’s main port of entry – the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
Similar issues occur on the East Coast highway, especially during peak hours, but the extra road – the Railway Embankment road, which caters for two-way traffic from Georgetown to Enmore, provides some relief.
Nonetheless, the narrowing of the major highway on the East Coast further complicates the situation during peak hours.
