– presently stands at 38% complete
As the December 2024 deadline inches closer for the completion of the US$260 million Demerara River Bridge, the piling phase is approximately 38 per cent completed.
This is according to Abdul Hameed, a representative of the Italian company Politecnica, which is overseeing the construction works as well as assessing the project design to ensure works are being executed according to the project specifications.
He noted that “within the coming three or four months, all the piling work will be finished.”
He explained that various phases of the project, which started in May 2023, are being undertaken simultaneously to accelerate its progress. This is with the project deadline of this year’s end in mind.
Added to this, is the massive workforce of 650 workers advancing the project. Of these, 120 are Guyanese while 85 are Venezuelan migrants.
Meanwhile, in addition to the ongoing foundation work, the contractor is also engaged in constructing two pre-cast factories situated on the East and West sides of the project site. These factories are specifically being developed to manufacture pre-cast beams for bridge construction.
“It is almost more than 60 per cent completed. So probably by month-end, the foundation for both towers will be completed,” Hameed stated.
Also interviewed was Project Engineer Siddiq Khan, who related that there would be no weight limitations or interruptions of traffic upon its completion. This would be a contrast to the old Demerara Harbour Bridge, which has a weight limitation of 18 tonnes per normal crossing between 4:00h and 22:30h and 24 tonnes for special crossing between 22:30h and 03:30h.
“There will be no weight limit, so trucks of all capacity will be able to go across and they will be able to go across very swiftly. There will be no retractions so ships are going to pass under it and no interruptions of traffic,” Khan said.
Designed with a lifespan of 100 years, the bridge’s construction is advancing smoothly, albeit with some minor hindrances. These obstacles primarily stem from material shortages and shipping delays. However, China Railway and Construction Corporation Limited (CRCCL) Project Manager, Wang assured that all challenges encountered would be promptly addressed to ensure timely completion of the project.
Further, in a nod to Guyana’s second-highest award in the Order of Service of Guyana, Wang revealed that the lighting at the top of the main bridge tower was designed in the shape of the Cacique Crown.
The new Demerara bridge will replace the current structure across the river, which has exceeded its lifespan by some 40 years. It is expected that the new bridge will be a four-lane, fixed-span bridge with a lifespan of approximately 100 years.
The contractors are part of a joint venture led by Chinese company CRCCL to construct the new bridge, which will land aback Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara and at La Grange, West Bank Demerara.
Back in 2022, $21.1 billion was allocated towards work on the bridge. The CRCCL (International) Limited-led joint venture outbid four other pre-qualified international companies that submitted proposals for the project. In the months before the contract was awarded, the Guyana Government, through a team of specialists – legal and engineering – was in negotiations with the Chinese company to finalise the terms of the contract.
The new bridge will be a fixed 2.65-kilometre, four-lane, high-span, cable-stayed structure across the Demerara River, with the width of the driving surface being about 23.6 metres.
The bridge, which features a bicycle lane, will bring an end to closures to vehicular traffic with a 50-metre fixed-high span to cater for the free flow of vessels uninterrupted. The river will be dredged along a 13.5-kilometre stretch to accommodate large vessels.
This new bridge will replace the ageing floating Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), which has outlived its lifespan by several decades. At 1.25 miles (2.01km), the current Demerara Harbour Bridge is a strategic link between the East and West Banks of Demerara, facilitating the daily movement of thousands of vehicles, people, and cargo.
Specifically, it will provide better connectivity to the East Bank of Demerara, the Diamond-to-Ogle bypass road on the eastern side of the river, as well as the WBD roads, including the Parika-to-Schoonord road on the western side of the river.
