…records increase in vehicle count daily
The rapid rate of development coupled with the infrastructure boom have put significant strain on the structural integrity of the age-old Demerara Harbour Bridge. This is further compounded by the increase in trucks, which are found to be speeding while traversing the bridge and causing serious damages to the structure.
General Manager of the DHB Corporation, Wayne Watson on Friday explained to this publication that maintenance works are needed so that the bridge does not buckle under these circumstances.
“The bridge will continue to have defects simply because it would have surpassed its lifespan and also, we have continuous loading from 18 tonnes. One might consider 18 tonnes to not be much but when you couple 18 tonnes with speed, that is what, in management’s opinion, is what is destroying the structure.”
Current weight limit of the bridge is 18 tonnes but special crossings are accommodated for vehicles up to 24 tonnes – executed within a consistent speed at the centre of the two-lane floating structure.
He outlined, “When you have the 18 tonnes going in normal traffic and it is not that congested, it gives the truck driver the opportunity to speed. But with the 24 tonne, we control that vehicle from the time it transits and monitor. Our fear is not the weight. It is the weight with the speed.”
DHB Management would have written several companies in order to have their truck drivers comply with measures to safeguard the bridge. However, some have not acknowledged this position.
The General Manager positioned, “While you have some agencies responding, some have totally ignored our letter. The reality is that for the bridge to remain structurally sound, apart from us doing the maintenance as need be, it is important that the commuting public and companies that are accessing the bridge via trucks, haulers or whatever equipment must assist us in maintaining the integrity.”
Maintenance
This month, the Demerara Harbour Bridge clocked 44 years since it was commissioned. Between Tuesday and Thursday, the old Span Nine was removed and replaced by a new one – fabricated locally at a cost of $1.2 billion by Industrial Fabrications Inc (InFab). This was facilitated over a three-day shutdown along with critical works on the high-span.
Before the Panama-registered oil tanker, MV Tradewind Passion, crashed into the bridge and rendered it inoperable for several days back in 2022, that section was frequently maintained. Owing to the costs attached, a decision was taken for a complete replacement.
He zeroed in, “With the loaded trucks traversing, we saw sometimes twice or thrice a month, those said fractures would break again and we would have to fix it…A decision was taken by the Government that rather than continuing to fix the span, it made much more sense to replace it.”
Having assessed that the bridge was poorly maintained a few years ago, Watson underscored that every endeavour has been made in repairing critical fragments.
“With the condition based on my assessment, the bridge was poorly maintained. What we intended to do as we have the opportunity, that is during the retraction schedules, we can do as much as one junction at a time. We can replace one junction at a time on either the right or left within the same period as a retraction. With the experience of the teams, we can do a whole lot during retractions.”
Repairs are also facilitated in the evening owning to the high volume of traffic on a daily basis. This deliberate effort was done so as to not frustrate commuters, especially at peak hours. Schedule maintenance is done from 22:00h to 06:00h on weekdays.
Costs for maintaining the bridge has been ‘alarming’, according to Watson. But the small profit stands nowhere near to having a sound structure where commuters can traverse safely, he pointed out. Government has also supported in providing support through subsidies.
“While profitability of the Harbour Bridge is something of concern, the focus is to restore the integrity so that it can be safe for commuters. It is not a serious consideration as against structural integrity,” he underlined.
Traffic flow
It has been observed that the number of vehicles transiting the DHB crossing has jumped. Average count per day was about 16,000 just two years ago; now it is about 20,000 to 25,000 for both east and westbound.
“I have recognised one thing. The traffic flow on a daily basis has been steadily on the increase. On our monthly assessment, the highest number of vehicle transiting the bridge is on a Sunday. We have a daily average of between 10,000 to 15,000 in one direction.”
Main artery
Prime Minister Mark Phillips accompanied Public Works Minister Juan Edghill to the site on Thursday evening as the three-day closure wrapped up and there was free flow of vehicular traffic. He recognised the importance of the structure, labelling it a main artery in connectivity.
The Prime Minister expressed, “It’s not only connecting people who live in Region Three. People in Region Seven move through Parika and Region Three and then they pass the bridge to go and do their business. For people in Region Two, similarly will move and use the bridge. So, this is the main artery connecting Region Two, Region Seven, Region Three, and I would extend it further to Region One.”
China Railway and Construction Corporation (International) Limited is mobilising to construct the US$260M new Demerara River bridge. The structure is slated for completion by December 2024. Once completed, it will alleviate traffic woes often felt by West Bank and East Bank commuters.
