Govt. commissions $52M road in Linden

Jul 15, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, on Tuesday commissioned the once dilapidated New Washer Pond Road in Linden, Region 10. The $52 million road is outfitted with concrete drains and the requisite safety markings.

Minister of Public Works – Bishop Juan Edghill, Head of the Special Projects Unit – Mr. Colin Gittens, and Mayor of Linden – Ms. Waneka Arrindell, walking on the rehabilitated road. (Photo Credit: DPI)

The work, according to the Department of Public Information, was executed by engineers from the Ministry’s Special Projects Unit.
To avoid erosion, Minister Edghill said, heavy-duty vehicles cannot be accommodated on the road at this time. “That is at least one month to keep the big, heavy trucks, 35 to 40 tonnes and sometimes 50 tonnes, way above what the axels can carry off these roads until we can get what the ordinary layman might call a curing period.

Minister Juan Edghill examining the drainage works done. (Photo Credit: DPI)

To build a road and not have adequate drainage is like putting money in fire, it will just disappear after a while, so we had to address the issue of drainage.”
Head of the Special Projects Unit, Colin Gittens, said that the Ministry was able to address the issue that was causing the road to deteriorate. “One of the major challenges is there was a spring in the area, I do not know if it is an artesian spring or because of the specific location of the area because we are in a valley, it could be there was water seeping out from the ponds above, but we have been able to harness the area, contain the water and allow it to free flow into the drains,” he said.
Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell, said that the people of Linden appreciate the works executed by the Ministry, as the road was in a derelict state for many years. “Linden is grateful for this, this has been one of the major issues we have been facing over a couple of years as it relates to roads in Linden and we are grateful more so, that the problem that has been plaguing us has been identified,” she said.
Mayor Arrindell said the Town Council would make every effort to maintain the road. Regional Chairman, Deron Adams, echoed these sentiments.
The rehabilitation of the road is just one of many projects to be executed by the Government this year in the Region.=