The PPP/C government is mulling moving the location of the proposed new Demerara River crossing as the current Houston location has seen increased shore-based oil & gas activities that may pose possible traffic congestion for commuters in the future.
Underscoring that the new harbour bridge is a priority for the Irfaan Ali-led administration, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, told Stabroek News yesterday in a telephone interview that the new bridge should be able to facilitate minimum interruptions for new developments and provide an ease for the flow of traffic.
“Whatever is the final design, it will be what is best for the Guyanese people… We are looking at all options and that might mean getting additional advice. You can’t have a bridge that encumbers other aspects of development,” Edghill said.
A feasibility study done by the APNU+AFC government had confirmed that the proposed location of Houston (East Bank Demerara) to Versailles (West Bank Demerara) was the best option.
But within the last two years, riverfront operations on the East Bank of Demerara have been expanding rapidly as new and upcoming companies aim to support the offshore operations of ExxonMobil.
At Houston, where it was expected for the bridge to be constructed, the area has been somewhat overtaken by massive riverfront development.
According to Edghill, since taking office he has been briefed on the projects being undertaken by his ministry. He noted that while he has not had a chance to peruse the feasibility report commissioned under the APNU+AFC government, he will have to do so before briefing the president and his cabinet colleagues before they make a decision on the way forward.
“We have not expressed confidence in that feasibility study from the consultants as we have not been able to go through it and study it. We have not yet seen it in detail [since] we were in opposition and we have never seen a copy of it, but now that I am in the ministry, I am receiving briefings since it remains a priority project,” the newly sworn in minister said.
Edghill, who functioned as a Junior Finance Minister under the Donald Ramotar administration said that with the project being a priority in his ministry, there is a possibility that funding for the key project would appear in the 2021 budget.
While in opposition, the PPP/C had raised objections to the then government’s decision to single-source a Dutch firm to do the feasibility study for the new bridge in 2018.
The Public Procurement Commission (PPC) found that the then Ministry of Public Infrastructure had breached procurement rules by selecting LievenseCSO which then led to the firm tendering for an unadvertised bid.
The ministry at the time had defended the decision to single source by citing time constraints.
The Feasibility Study and Design for the new Demerara River Bridge was undertaken by LievenseCSO and completed in 2017. The report had confirmed that the proposed location of Houston to Versailles was the best option.
However, before submitting the report to the PPC, the APNU+AFC government had begun the process of evaluating prequalifying tenders. Eleven companies had submitted bids with Chinese companies dominating the bidding.
“The project comprises of the construction of an approximately 1500m long fixed bridge with a movable span and two approach roads of a total length of 600m,” the report stated.
The report further noted that the bridge should be a low-level one with a movable part and three lanes. This structure, the study said, provided the most socio-economic benefits for Guyana and led to the lowest urban environmental impact. It was recommended in the study that alternative transportation routes be encouraged to lend to the longevity of the new bridge. It was estimated to cost US$170 million.
The past government was optimistic that the bridge would have been completed this year.
During President’s Ali inauguration speech he floated plans for constructing of a high-rise bridge across the Demerara River but did not go into details.
“High transportation cost will also be tackled through investments in a deep-water harbour, the Linden to Lethem Road, a high-span bridge across the Demerara River, and other transformational infrastructure projects,” he had said.
“Our intention is to open up every part of our country, and to join them up so that new opportunities are created for housing settlements and businesses, and to create and expand tourism and other services industries,” he added.
But during a campaign rally in his hometown of Leonora, West Coast Demerara, Ali had spoken of plans for a four-lane high-rise bridge across the river.
Boasting then of his government plans, he said they will rebuild and expand the infrastructural landscape in Region Three. He said that persons cannot continue to spend two and half hours to get to work if they are travelling from the West Demerara as he had received numerous complaints about the congested commute over the current Demerara Harbour Bridge. The President opined that too many productive hours are wasted on the commute.
“We cannot use five hours per day travelling to get to work. If five persons travel in a car per day that is over 20 hours … we lose per day of productive time. We have to change this.” Ali said.
“We are going to commence work on building and ensuring that the future brings to you a new super highway along the West Coast and West Bank. It is this superhighway that will be connected to a four lane high-rise bridge across the Demerara [River] that will take you to work faster,” Ali added.
