Works to soon commence on EBD/ECD bypass road

With all studies completed, as well as designs for the first phase of the new East Bank Demerara/East Coast Demerara (EBD/ECD) bypass road, works are expected to commence soon, according to Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson.
The subject Minister, in a recent interview with this publication, related that the various studies, including the feasibility study, have been completed in addition to the final designs for Phase One of the project which will see the construction of the new road from Ogle, East Coast Demerara, to Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
According to him, designs for the second phase of the long-awaited project to pave the new road from Diamond to Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, will commence after the first phase of the project would have gone to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) so that works can begin early, especially since the Government secured a loan for this aspect.
“So the first phase is finished, in two months’ time we will get the completed designs and we go to tender for Phase One and then immediately after that, so around June we will start the designs for Phase Two Diamond onwards. So Phase One will start and you know we have a loan for that and that will be completed and then we will start Phase Two immediately after,” Patterson stated.
The Public Infrastructure Minister related that the plan is to have the new road be a four-lane highway, which will also allow future modifications.
“It will be two lanes one way and two lanes the other way so, therefore, it is a dual cart way so it’s four lanes. The road will be designed in such a way that there is a great distance in between the two roads so, therefore, in the future, we will look at rails and other amenities in the median in between them will be about 60 feet in between the two roads, 60 to 70 feet and we will do future upgrades there going forward,” he shared.
The first phase of the project will cost US$120 million. The Government, Patterson asserted, has already secured funding for this aspect of the project.
Phase Two is likely to be within a similar price range, he added. In January, Head of the Work Services Group, Geoffrey Vaughn noted that the feasibility study was due in March. According to Vaughn, all preparations for the construction phase will follow once that is completed.
When he presented the budget last year, Finance Minister Winston Jordan revealed that the projected cost of the East Coast/East Bank road linkage project (Ogle bypass) had jumped from US$50 million to US$120 million. He noted that Government will approach its bilateral partner, in this case, the Export-Import Bank of India, for more funds.
This EBD-ECD bypass project is expected to be 26 kilometres of road constructed, linking two of the country’s main thoroughfares. This new road link will also be connected to key communities in Georgetown and along the East Bank of Demerara. These include Diamond, Mocha, Eccles – all on the East Bank – and Aubrey Barker Road in Georgetown.