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Major diversion on East Bank road as four-lane takes shape
Commuters using the East Bank Demerara roadway will experience some major changes.
Traffic on the new lanes yesterday.
A key section constructed through the former cane fields was yesterday opened to divert traffic from the former roadway.
Described as Lot 2, the area between Farm and the DDL compound at Diamond had been contracted out to GEML/GAICO Construction. The area opened yesterday is located between the DSL Shopping Centre at Diamond and the Guyana Water Inc. well at Prospect.
According to a public notice, the diversion may see some traffic delays with commuters being urged to start traveling earlier, especially those heading to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport for flights.
Over the last few days, workers were seen painting and erecting the mandatory roads and other safety signs.
In November 2010, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a US$20M ($4B) loan to extend the four-lane highway from Providence to Diamond. The East Bank Demerara corridor is the most traversed in the entire country.
Under the project, the roadway would be transformed from two to four lanes, with parking lanes, bus stops, crossings for pedestrians, and bicycle lanes included.
The section between Providence and Farm had been awarded to DIPCON Engineering Services Limited while Lot 3- DDL compound to Diamond- is being constructed by BK International.
The project is being managed by the Work Services Group of the Ministry of Public Works.
The entire project itself has been marred with days of congestion and delays especially with the removal of utility lines that had been in the way. The contractors and the utility companies had initially been unable to decide on sharing the costs.
The project had kicked off in early 2012 and was expected to end last year. However, it is unlikely that even this year-end deadline can be met as the Diamond bridge in the DDL area is still to be completed, engineers say.
The East Bank of Demerara itself has been a challenging one for Government. Several new housing schemes, stretching from Eccles to Providence to Herstelling to Diamond have been opened up.
Of course with 10,000 vehicles being added to the roadway every year, the congestion on the East Bank has been vexatious for everyone.
The roadway itself not only links West Demerara via the Demerara Harbour Bridge but it leads to the Timehri airport and Linden, a main gateway to the hinterlands.
According to IDB, within five years, the project is expected to yield a 15 per cent reduction in travel time by car on the improved road section, as well as a five-kilometre extension of the road network that is in good condition.
“It is also anticipated that the project will result in a 10 percent reduction in the rate of crashes and resulting deaths, and a 10 percent reduction in travel time for passengers that use public transportation in the project area.”
The IDB said that the project will see Guyana doubling the capacity of a section of one of its principal highways and facilitate safer access for pedestrians at that section.
“The funds will finance a programme that seeks to enhance urban and suburban mobility and safety, lower transport costs and reduce accident rates along the East Bank Demerara Main Road up to Diamond.”
Government is also looking to improve the roadway from Diamond to Timehri and even construct an alternative roadway to the city using lands behind the housing schemes on the East Bank Demerara.
Works are also being done for the widening of road on the East Coast and West Coast highways.
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