Days ahead of the opening of the New Mackenzie-Wismar, the Public Works Ministry initiated a load testing exercise on Thursday. During the testing, five heavy-laden trucks weighing 180 tonnes each were used to test the modern 220-meter pre-stressed concrete structure.
As the teams monitor the total guaranteed safety, structural integrity, and long-term durability before opening day, the four-lane concrete bridge will replace the current single-lane bridge.
This is set to eliminate bottlenecks with seamless travel across the Demerara River on the toll-free crossing.
The US$35 million bridge replaces a crossing built by the Demerara Bauxite Company in 1966-1967 with a single-lane railway track, originally to move bauxite from the West Bank mines to the processing plant on the East Bank.
The new 220- meter precast bridge is being built by China Railway Construction (Caribbean) Co. Ltd.
It mirrors the design of the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge and will have four vehicular lanes and two pedestrian walkways, with clear passage for hopper barges beneath. In addition, roundabouts on both sides will link it to the Linden-Mabura Road and the wider highway network, and the connecting roads are being expanded to four lanes.
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