Travel time increases along East Bank Demerara Public Road

Mar 31, 2012 News

– Works Ministry, contractors and Police working to minimise traffic congestion

Traffic congestion along the East Bank Demerara corridor has increased

Traffic heading to Georgetown stalled at Farm, East Bank Demerara

owing to construction works being done to transform the area from Providence to Diamond/ Grove junction into a four-lane roadway.
And the chaos is likely to increase within days as light traffic such as minibuses and cars would be diverted into the community of Herstelling, while a section on the main road would be closed to allow excavation works in that area.
According to Highway Engineer, Ron Rahaman, the Public Works Ministry and contractors are working to minimise severe traffic congestion along the stretch. Though there are some challenges, efforts are being made to work within the traffic management plans created by contractors.
The engineer suggested that commuters should schedule their travel keeping in mind ongoing construction works and the occurrence of unplanned events that could stall traffic.
He noted that the contractors have taken the decision that sand trucks carrying loads for the various sites would not traverse on the main road during peak hours. In addition, excavation works, during which machinery will operate on one lane, will not be done between 6:30 hrs and 9:00 hrs.
The traffic management plan for construction works provides that the contractors have two lanes available when construction work is ongoing. This would have seen the smooth flow of traffic.
However, this is not the case. In the area from Providence to Prospect, the contractor, Dipcon Engineering, is occupying a small section of the road to accommodate its excavator while the trench is being dug and sand-filled.
Rahaman emphasised that the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department would be assisting in managing the flow of traffic.
He asserted that recently a team including members of the Little Diamond/Herstelling Neighbourhood Democratic Council visited Herstelling to ascertain which streets would accommodate the diverted traffic.
Meanwhile, there is minimal disruption of traffic in the section from the ‘high bridge’ at Demerara Distillers Limited to Great Diamond/ Grove. Currently, the contractor, BK International, is carrying out excavation works there.
There are some instances where equipment stalls the flow of traffic but the congestion is primarily caused by vehicles entering and exiting the disorderly car park.
Moreover, there is minimal or no traffic disruption in the area from Covent Gardens to the ‘high bridge’.
The contractor, Gaico Construction, is making significant progress towards converting sections of the cane fields into a two-lane road. The structure is expected to adjoin the existing roadway to create the four-lane thoroughfare.