Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill yesterday re-opened Hunter Street, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, a roadway considered to be one of the main arteries into and out of the city.
After several months of closure, the section of roadway from Front Road to Mandela Avenue was yesterday reopened to the public as a three-lane access road, an idea Edghill referred to as both welcome and necessary.
He explained that the wider road will provide the space to accommodate much more vehicular traffic to ease the congestion going in and out of the city.
The minister said that the project with all its aspects when completed, cost over $150 million, while a total of $99 million was paid to the contracting company, Vieira 66 Logistics.
Edghill thanked the residents of the community for their patience and understanding during the time the project was being worked on.
He assured the residents that the Alexander Village and the West Ruimveldt streets that were forced to be used as alternate routes for vehicular traffic while the Hunter Street roadway was being upgraded, will be repaired.
He explained that within a timeframe of one week, the ministry’s Force Account Unit will visit the area and begin remedial work on all the streets that were damaged as a result of the diversion of traffic.
Edghill also informed that all drains along the Hunter Street roadway will be covered with metal grillwork to prevent road users from accidentally falling in and that traffic safety barriers will be installed.
In addition, the pedestrian section will be a green space to separate vehicles from pedestrians and street lights are in the process of being installed.
Edghill said that there were no regrets in hiring the new contracting company in spite of the criticisms received and opined that one cannot gain experience unless given an opportunity. He encouraged all contractors who in the past felt excluded to come onboard.
Meanwhile, Traffic Chief Ramesh Ashram in his remarks stated that the construction of the road will bring relief to the travelling public and ease the congestion especially on the East Bank Demerara corridor.
Ashram noted that the upgraded roadway will serve to reduce traffic congestion in and out of the city. He pointed out that provision will be made to have two lanes proceeding north for vehicles coming from the East Bank Demerara in the morning while the reverse will be done in the afternoons.
He gave the speed limit for the road as 50 kilometres per hour and urged drivers to observe the speed limit and utilise the five Cs.
City Engineer Colvern Venture on behalf of the Mayor and Councillors and the City Engineer’s Department expressed his thanks to the Ministry of Public Works for the initiative taken to carry out the Hunter Street project. He noted that the remedial work was long overdue.
Venture mentioned too that the closure of the Hunter Street roadway had resulted in an increase of traffic in the Alexander Village and West Ruimveldt areas which in return caused many other roads to deteriorate over time.
He assured that in collaboration with the Ministry of Works, the affected roads will be repaired as they seek to address further improvements.
Mark Vieira on behalf of Vieira 66 Logistics thanked the ministry for the opportunity to complete the Hunter Street road project.
During the ceremony, residents were heard applauding the rebuilt Hunter Street roadway.