New ‘Span Nine’ retractor installed on DHB ahead of schedule

Jul 26, 2023 News

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Kaieteur News – The installation of a new Span Nine retractor for the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) has been installed ahead of schedule, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill said Tuesday morning.

The installation of the Span Nine retractor started at 23:59 on Monday and according to the minister works are progressing well and ahead of schedule. The minister along with the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation’s (DHBC) General Manager, Wayne Watson and Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) Director General, Stephen Thomas provided an update on the works ongoing at the bridge as well as the movement of commuters between Regions Three and Four.

Minister Edghill said the workers were able to replace the damaged Span Nine retractor and replace it with the new one.

“We have already been able to detach the old Span Nine and the new Span Nine is in place and they are working to get it aligned. At this time having received the brief from the General Manager of the DHBC and the contractor, we are ahead of schedule,” he reported.

As it relates to persons traversing between Regions Three and Four, through the MARAD all three crossings have been operationalised. The crossings are between Stabroek and Vreed-en-Hoop, Grove on the East Bank of Demerara to Wales on the West Bank of Demerara and a crossing at the end of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

“We have a number of personnel on the ground even though since midnight we were operational, it has been smooth, people are cooperating and I would just want to thank the people of Guyana for their patience. Today [Tuesday] started off good, we would want to keep it like that,” Edghill said.

Providing brief comments on the ongoing works, General Manager Watson said as soon as the bridge closed, works started immediately. Like Minister Edghill, he said the engineers were able to get the span changed and replaced with the new one ahead of the scheduled time.

Watson told reporters that while working, “we recognize that for some reason or another, the river was very calm and we exploit the opportunity immediately.”

Though works are ahead of schedule, the General Manager explained that work would continue as planned and if the project is completed ahead of schedule then the minister will make the requisite announcement.

The installation of the new Span Nine now allows for the alignment followed by the decking and installation of ramps and other control and device mechanisms. He disclosed that in addition to the installation of the new Span Nine, other works are being done on the bridge.

Watson said that works costing some $85 million are being done to the High Span of the bridge, while internal rehabilitation on spans 12 to 29 and spans 39 to 60 are being done executed at a cost of $60 million.

“So we are ahead of schedule and I want thank all the partners and stakeholders,” he expressed.  He added that these works are being done so that traversing along the bridge can be safe and comfortable.

Meanwhile, MARAD’s Director General said that the preparation for the closure of the bridge has moved according to plan and he disclosed that several vessels are operating at the identified locations.

Thomas said that at the Grove to Wales and the DHB crossings, some vessels that would usually ply the Essequibo River are being used to facilitate commuters. He added also that they have personnel on the grounds at the various locations to ensure the “operation is seamless as possible.”

In a press release, MARAD stated that the water taxi services operating between Grove and Wales and both the eastern and western sides of the Harbour Bridge will be staggered between 20:00hrs and 05:00hrs.

The vessels, according to MARAD, plying these routes will therefore depart each location every hour on the hour, from 21:00hrs until 04:00hrs. Thereafter, on-demand service will resume from 05:00hrs.

It was reported that the DHB will be closed from 23:59hrs on July 24 to 23:59pm on July 27 to facilitate the installation of the new $1.2 billion Span Nine retractor on the bridge.

Minister Edghill had stated previously that the government understands the significance of this replacement and is committed to seeing this project through, as this new retractor which spans 170 feet long and 40 feet wide and is valued at $1.2 billion, will result in a much smoother operation (retractability) in the future and will also enable wider vessels to pass through the channel.

Last September, the bridge’s Span Nine was damaged when the Panamanian flagged vessel, MV Tradewinds Passion, crashed into the bridge during a retraction period and rendered the bridge inoperable for several days.

Since then, that damaged section of the bridge had to be repaired several times, while plans were being made to replace the unit altogether. Repairs to Span Nine were undertaken by a local company, Industrial Fabrications Inc. (InFab), which was completed in late 2022.

In May this year, Span Nine was transported from the dockyard to the bridge for the perfect time and tide to facilitate installation.

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