Preparations are all in place for tonight’s closure of the Demerara Harbour Bridge for a three-day period to facilitate the replacement of Retractor Span 9, and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill is confident that the works will be completed within the timeframe set.
The bridge closure, to both vehicular and marine traffic, is scheduled to start at 23:59h tonight, July 24, and end at 23:59h on Thursday, July 27.
Speaking with this publication, Minister Edghill explained that from midnight tonight until Thursday midnight, the teams will be working on a 24-hour basis to ensure the works are completed.
“I’m asking the nation to be patient and to exercise great levels of understanding. From midnight tonight, the workmen will be working around-the-clock to get the task completed within the time period… I would like to ask all the responsible Guyanese to put out good faith and good thoughts that we could get this done in the shortest possible time and that the systems that have been put in place would be complied with, and that we all work together during this time,” the Minister pleaded.
Asked whether any systems have been put in place to facilitate these works going beyond the three-day timeline, the Public Works Minister expressed his confidence that there will be no delays.
“We anticipate that the works will be completed in time. We have put on several teams who will be doing numerous things simultaneously and we will keep people informed.”
Edghill could not say how many persons will be working on this project over the coming days. However, he noted that it will be an all-hands-on-deck situation with the entire technical staff from the DHB Corporation.
Additionally, staff from Industrial Fabrications Inc (InFab), the local company that built the new Span 9, will also be on-hand during the installation period. There will also be other private contractors who will provide critical services such as welding and equipment/machinery such as barges and heavy-lifting equipment.
At least two retractor spans were severely damaged in October 2022 when Panama-registered oil tanker, MV Tradewind Passion, crashed into the DHB and rendered it inoperable for several days due to the extensive damages. The incident was said to be one of the most serious collisions for the 44-year-old metal structure, which has outlived its 20-year lifespan.
Back in March, works were done on Retractor Span 10. This was in addition to other emergency repairs done in February to the ageing bridge that is a critical link between several regions and the capital city as well as main airports.
In February, the bridge was closed for over 24 hours in order to facilitate emergency works to be carried out. These include changing out two static rollers, a transom beam, six panels and the mechanism to secure the changes.
The new $1.2 billion Retractor Span 9 was already being fabricated by Infab prior to the accident and was completed last year. In April, Span 9 was removed from drydock and moored up the Demerara River closer to the DHB.
On Sunday morning, the new retractor span was moved from the southern side of the Harbour Bridge over to the northern side during a one-hour special closure.
Spanning 170 feet long and 40 feet wide, the new Span 9 will enhance the bridge’s retraction operation by enabling wider vessels to pass.
In preparation for the three-day closure of the bridge, alternative systems have been put in place to facilitate the transportation of people across the Demerara River.
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has announced that in addition to the regular Georgetown (Stabroek) to Vreed-en-Hoop crossing, two other temporary terminals have been set up along the Demerara River to facilitate the operation of water taxis to move people.
These are at Grove, East Bank Demerara to Wales, West Bank Demerara, and at Peters Hall, EBD, on the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
For the crossing at Peters Hall, persons will be allowed to go onto the pedestrian walkway on the bridge up to a certain point, where they will board water taxis and be transported closer to the western end of the bridge and disembark on the walkway there, and vice versa for persons travelling from the western side of the bridge over the eastern side.
“We have tested for safety, looking for what might be needed when the water is low and we have built out the facilities to ensure everyone’s safety,” Edghill related to this publication.
According to the Public Works Minister, there will be buses available at that drop off point on the bridge to shuttle persons to and from the public road. Similarly, shuttles will be available at the Vreed-en-Hoop stelling to transport persons to the junction, and vice versa.
These shuttles are free of cost and will be running on a 24-hour basis.
Both MARAD and Minister Edghill have cautioned that the water taxi fares will not increase from the $100 fee. Additionally, the Minister also warned bus drivers not to increase their fares for the travelling public during this period.
Meanwhile, the Minister went on to note too that efforts were also made to ensure that there is no hoarding of products by businesses and increasing of prices due to the bridge closure.
“The private sectors and the manufacturers have all indicated that there is adequate supply of supplies on the West side, in Essequibo and in Bartica. And so there will be no need for price gouging or anyone raising prices to take advantage of the situation,” he stated.
