Heavy vehicles cause 90 per cent of the damage to the Demerara Harbour Bridge while only bringing in a small amount of revenue and this is forcing the Transport Ministry to look into ways in which it could address the situation.
Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn told members of the media at his end-of-year press conference that escorted crossing, reduced loads or higher toll payments for loads are being examined as some of the ways of preserving the structure. He said motorists found breaching the speed limit on the bridge would be subject to heavy fines.
Concerns have been raised regarding proper maintenance of the bridge which shows signs of heavy wear and tear owing to natural aging and corrosion as a result of the salt water which flows into the Demerara River from the Atlantic Ocean. President Bharrat Jagdeo has also raised concerns in this regard.
Bridge Manager Rawlston Adams, presenting a report on the bridge for the last year acknowledged that it has had a lot of challenges including lightning strikes which forced management to replace some electrical equipment including radio communication sets.
He issued a special appeal to drivers of trucks noting that there has been much damage to the bridge directly linked to trucks.
On any given day, he said, the bridge sees the crossing of an average of 6,000 vehicles with a return rate of 90%.
To this end he noted that management was definitely going to pay more attention to traffic management for the new year. This, he said, would involve a study to address the issue, while retraction time for vehicles traversing the bridge would also be addressed.
He pointed out that there was need for a reduction in retraction time to alleviate time lost.
Adams also told reporters that with the construction of several new housing schemes in areas on the West Coast and West Bank of both the Essequibo and Demerara rivers as well as at East Bank Essequibo, the bridge would have to contend with the crossing of heavy vehicles carrying building materials.
He also pointed to the increase in vehicles in country, which would have an effect on the work of the bridge.
Nevertheless, he said, the bridge was able to generate a surplus of $10 million over its projected $258 million, last year. Some $555 million received from government was spent for the purchase of pontoons.
Installing additional decks, he said, was delayed to some extent, owing to inclement weather.
Adams said this year works critical to the maintenance of the bridge remain a priority and these include the installation of deck plates and the rehabilitation of pontoons.
The bridge is Guyana’s first floating structure and was commissioned back in July 1978.
