With 95 per cent of works completed on Eccles to Mandela Avenue alternative road link, Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal has announced that the road will soon be commissioned.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a recent event, Croal said that they are awaiting for a recently poured concrete bridge to be fully cured before opening up the alternative thoroughfare to traffic.
Apart from that, he noted, the stretch of road has been completed and contractors have since been engaged in “tidying up” works. Moreover, he explained that works have commenced on phase two of the alternative road link where they have already started land clearing works. The contractors should be mobilized in the areas soon.
The Housing and Water Minister stressed that they have already paid a mobilisation advance for work to commence.
Further, they are currently working with property owners to relocate 35 buildings which are in an area that a stretch of road has to pass through. He noted that while this exercise has been challenging, they have been able to work out deals with the owners.
The minister added that they are well aware of the traffic dilemma on the East Bank Public road and assured that every effort is being made to push works to have the alternative road link completed in a timely manner.
Contracts for the construction of the road were awarded in six lots in April 2021, with works being carried out simultaneously for a projected November completion. However, inclement weather conditions along with supply chain issues have resulted in an almost six-month delay.
The highway was conceptualised by President Ali, when he was Minister of Housing and Water, and is designed in accordance with international standards, i.e., AASHTO Guide for Design of Pavement Structures, FDOT Rigid Pavement Design Manual, and AASHTO – Geometric Design of Highways and Streets. The scope of works includes: land clearing and drain cleaning; construction of 5.5km of earthen drains and 200 meters of reinforced concrete drains; construction of reinforced concrete box culverts; 2.8km of four-lane rigid pavement carriageway (with two parking lanes); installation of solar street lights; and 12 reinforced heavy-duty composite bridges. Along the road currently under construction, are intersections, restricted to right turns, at Aubrey Barker Road, and Cane View Avenue, in South Ruimveldt Gardens. It will also feature 12 bridges, a median with lights as well as pedestrian and cycle lanes.
The new four-lane road is being constructed to the tune of $13.9 billion. The contractors for this leg are Lot 1 – Guy America Construction Inc – $555,058,718; Lot 2 – MTSUL Contrucoes Ltd, M&PA Investment Inc and Consturora Cobra Eireli (joint venture) – $364,474,818; Lot 3 – Puran Bros. Disposal Inc – $360.232, 635; Lot 4 – Colin Talbot Contracting Services and Eron Lall Civil Engineering Works (joint venture) – $256, 703,370; Lot 5 – Aronco Services Inc – $471.033.838; and Lot 6 – JS Guyana Inc – $352.411.136.
In December last year, the ministry awarded contracts to the tune of $13.3 billion in 12 lots for the construction of an alternative four-lane highway between Eccles and Great Diamond which is deemed to be phase two of the project. This new stretch of road will connect with the thoroughfare currently under construction. The project will see the construction of 9.4 kilometres of reinforced concrete roads, 12 heavy-duty bridges, a culvert, and 12 kilometers of drains.
The contracts were awarded to Lot 1 – Guy America Construction Inc – $1.2 billion; Lot 2 – V. Dalip Enterprise – $889.9 million; Lot 3 – Colin Talbot Contracting Services and Eron Lall Civil Engineering Works (joint venture) – $1.3 billion; Lot 4 – KP Thomas and Sons contracting Inc – $1.4 billion; Lot 5 – S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc – $1.2 billion; Lot 6 – H. Nauth and Sons – $1.1 billion; Lot 7 – JS Guyana Inc – $1.2 billion; Lot 8 – VALs Construction and AJM Enterprise (joint venture) – $1.1 billion; Lot 9 – China Railway First Group Company Ltd – $1.02 billion; Lot 10 – Aronco Services Inc – $753 million; Lot 11 – Ivor Allen – $825 million; and Lot 12 – Puran Brothers Disposal Inc and Khemraj Nauth Contracting Services (joint venture) – $964 million.
Works are expected to last between 15-18 months on the new phase of the road.
