$15M automated tolling system goes into operation

Apr 01, 2022 News

– DHB banks on it to reduce traffic congestion

Kaieteur News – An automated tolling system that the government paid some $15M dollar to set up at the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) will assist in reducing the traffic congestion around that area.

Newly Appointed Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken and his team meeting with the Gneral Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge yesterday.

At least this is the view of the General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation’s, (DHBC) Wayne Watson. He was speaking at the time to newly appointed acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken on Thursday. Hicken along with Traffic Chief, Ramesh Ashram, the Traffic Officer in Charge of the Region Three district, Inspector Eon Isaacs and Senior Superintendent of Police, Kevin Das, met with the Manager yesterday to explore ways to reduce the traffic chaos that takes place every day on the bridge.
Watson, according to a release sent out by the force, told Hicken and his team that starting from today, a new $15M automated tolling system installed at the bridge will be opened to the public and will assist in reducing the traffic congestion there. This investment means that commuters will no longer have to stop and wait to pay their tolls at the bridge. Watson reportedly noted that the new system successfully passed its pilot testing phase, which began in February, with a few selected vehicles.
Explaining how the system works, Watson said that commuters will pay their toll via a Radio-Frequency Identification (RIFD) tag, but first they will be registered to a database linked to mobile money account. An RIFD tag will be placed on their vehicles and while approaching the toll stations on the eastern side of the bridge, RIFD scanners will scan the tag and the toll fee will be deducted automatically from their mobile money account.
He added that different RIFD tags will be made for different classes of vehicles such as cars, trucks, or vans. In strengthening its partnership force, DHBC has donated a motorcycle for traffic ranks to execute their duties in and around the bridge area. Hicken also inspected a newly built police outpost on the western end of the bridge. DHBC had handed it over to GPF this year not only for monitoring traffic, but also for the detection and prevention of crime in the area.
As GPF continues its efforts to alleviate the traffic woes that affect motorists almost every day, Hicken noted that the force will continue to work with the double lane system that was introduced in 2020 because it seems to be doing well. The double lane system would normally be used during the peak traffic hours. However, in an attempt to boost the double lane system, Traffic Chief, Ramesh Ashram related during the meeting with DHBC, that more traffic ranks will be placed at specific points along the East Bank corridor to assess the traffic situation, and if there is a build-up, a decision will be taken to open an extra lane (double lane system). Additionally, the traffic chief is instructing owners of derelict vehicles to remove them beside the public road and is working along with the local Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) to have these persons comply.

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