2 weeks to complete access road on western end of Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge – Edghill – INews Guyana

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, has announced that works on the western access road leading to the new US$262 million Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge are expected to be completed within two weeks — a move expected to further ease traffic congestion on the bridge’s West Bank approach.

The Minister made the disclosure this afternoon during a press conference addressing the traffic build-up that occurred earlier in the day on the bridge’s western end.

According to Minister Edghill, the delays witnessed this morning were largely due to “uncertainty” among drivers navigating the new access routes. He assured that the situation will be stabilised once motorists become familiar with the new system and the final leg of roadworks is completed.

“We are confident that within two weeks, the approach road on the west side will be completed, which will allow for an even smoother and more efficient flow of traffic,” he said.

The Minister further announced that traffic coming from the Wales area will now be required to use the roundabout fully to access the bridge. This measure, he said, is designed to ensure better traffic discipline and reduce confusion among road users approaching the structure from multiple directions.

Minister Edghill was firm in clarifying that there will be no closure of any lanes on either side of the new bridge during peak hours. He said the bridge’s design allows for a continuous four-lane flow of traffic, eliminating the need for alternating closures that were common with the old Demerara Harbour Bridge.

The new 50-metre fixed high-span cable-stayed Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge is a four-lane 2.6-kilometre (km) concrete structure with a cycle/pedestrian lane that stretches from Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) to La Grange on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD).

Designed with a lifespan of 100 years and built by China Railway Construction (International) Limited with Politecnica as the supervisory consultant, the new bridge will operate toll-free, 24/7, with a maximum speed limit of 80 km/h.

 

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