$42M Vlissengen Road walkway almost completed

Jan 05, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) is close to wrapping up its $42 million walkway project at Vlissengen Road, Georgetown.
Manager-Traffic/Safety/Maintenance, Kester Hinds in an invited comment explained that the project is geared towards improving the safety of pedestrians and developing a space that would foster healthy activities for residents in the area.

The almost completed project on Vlissengen Road

The project area spans the Kitty Roundabout to Barr Street, along Vlissengen Road. A total of 600 metres in length has been outfitted with concrete drains on both sides, while the three metres wide walkway has also been concreted. The works were executed by Vieira 66 Logistics, and commenced in July 2021.
According to Hinds, the first phase of the project catered for the construction of the walkway and installation of lights, even though the lighting attracted a different contract sum.
Another company, SkyTech International, was awarded a $9.5 million contract to provide street lights to the area.
Additionally, guardrails are to be installed at some sections for added protection to persons who will be walking or riding on the pathway.
The Traffic, Safety and Maintenance Manager added that the Ministry is seeking to add another phase of the project, which will then extend the walkway from Barr to Lamaha Streets, Georgetown. This phase will also cater for benches to be supplied to the area as well.
Hinds told this newspaper yesterday that the project is about 95 percent completed and is on schedule for its January 12, 2022 completion data.
Last year, the Ministry also undertook similar projects to develop walkways, also in the capital city.
In February 2021, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill inspected ongoing works at Carmichael, Waterloo and Albert Streets.
Making specific reference to the Albert Street upgrade works, Minister Edghill said the area is one which is heavily traversed by pedestrians, which is why the initiative is aimed at getting people off the road and onto the sidewalks.
He explained, “…we are making it safe for pedestrians to be able to traverse. When you have an uneven pave, people can stumble and fall. When you have a pave that can’t accommodate a wheelchair or a person using a cane, it makes it difficult for them to be able to move, so we are advancing that kind of service to all the people of Guyana, while we seek to ensure there is road and traffic safety.”
In keeping with the safety goal, Minister Edghill outlined that the height of the walkway was designed to prevent flooding and the next move will be to improve drainage to further curb the flooding issues in Georgetown.

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