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$15.1B Schoonord to Crane four-lane road commissioned
The roundabout at the new Highway linking the West Bank
Kaieteur News – Built to help alleviate traffic congestion in Region Three, President Irfaan Ali on Thursday joined residents to officially commission the new $15.1 billion Schoonord to Crane four-lane highway.
As reported previously, the contract for the new four-lane highway which connects the West Bank of Demerara to the West Coast of Demerara was signed back in September 2022 by the Ministry of Housing and Water, Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) after it was awarded through the national tendering process.
The new four-lane project was built by eight contractors and done in eight lots. It measures some 4.1km of dual carriageway reinforced concrete road and some of the features of the highway includes an emergency lane, medians, the rehabilitation of 2.4km of roadways, two roundabouts, 11 reinforced concrete box culverts, 36 pre-stressed bridges, road signage and markings.
In his address at the commissioning ceremony, the Head of State said that this highway is just the first phase of the highway that would lead to Parika. “This is not just about the Schoonord to Crane highway this is about the realisation of a grand vision, that vision that seeks to transform every single region of our country.” According to the President, after opening up the link to Parika, they will further build connecting roads that will eventually link to Bartica in Region Seven. “The infrastructure interlink that we are talking about is to position Guyana as a major transport and logistics hub, it is to open up the opportunities in tourism and it is to expand the opportunities in agriculture,” he explained during his remarks.
Also speaking at the event was Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal said that the road project forms part of government’s infrastructure vision which is “to lift our people out of poverty and to create the condition for economic growth and development in every region.” The minister went onto state that this highway will immediately bring further development, reduce travel times, reduce traffic congestion and “open new opportunities for entrepreneurship which bodes well for the long-term viability of West Demerara and its prospect for further development.”
The roundabout at the new Schoonord to Crane Highway
He urged residents to take up the agricultural and industrial opportunities that would now be made available through the opening of this new access road. In her address, Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues congratulated the many young professionals who helped bring this project into fruition, noting “while we try as hard to deliver on our projects and our policy it is all aimed to ensuring our people is happier and more comfortable at the end of the day and that is our paradox responsibility.
Stating that commissioning the highway is a monumental occasion for the region, she told residents, “This highway and connecting roads will bring tremendous relief to your commute. I seen you on social media, I hear your frustration, I know how long it takes for you to travel between this region, and Region Four and other places and this brings tremendous relief to you. You can spend more time with your family and have more productive hours.”
Meanwhile, Regional Chairman of Region Three, Ishan Ayube in his brief remarks noted the importance the highway will play in not only his region but for Regions Two and Seven. “The importance of this highway can never be underscored and many of us as we sit here might only think that region three residents will benefit from this project, I want to tell it is not so because Region Three is a transit region for Region Two and Region Seven and every day we have businesses coming from Regions Two and Seven pass through to region 4 and other parts of this country. So this highway will make an impact out of the region, Regions 7 and 2 residents will benefit from this highway,” he stated.
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