Work on the much anticipated new Demerara Harbour Bridge is expected to commence before year-end, according to the government.
The information was contained in the mid-year report released by the Ministry of Finance on Saturday evening.
“In the second quarter of 2022, Government signed a US$260 million contract for the construction of the long-awaited new Demerara River Bridge. The hybrid designed bridge will feature a modern four-lane structure (two carriageways), cycle lane, with a length of 2.65 kilometres or about 8,700 feet, driving surface of about 24 meters or 78 feet, with a lifespan of some 100 years. The works are expected to commence in the second half of the year,” the report highlighted.
China Railway Construction Company Limited (CRCCL), the company tasked with constructing the bridge, and its partners have begun preparatory works for the new bridge over the Demerara River.
The contract was signed in May of this year between the government and CRCCL.
This was after months of technical and financial negotiations with the most responsive bidder – China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) – fell through.
CRCCL and their partners, China Railway Construction (Caribbean) Company Limited, and China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Company Limited, who tendered for the project in a joint venture, were then selected.
Sources had explained to this newspaper that CSCEC’s proposed rate of interest, on their US$256,638,289 bid, was not agreed to as the company’s negotiators were adamant that it would not accept a fixed rate and had wanted to set the conditions for changes “that would have been solely determined by them”.
The contract for a supervisory consultancy had to be retendered as eight companies had in March of this year bid for works that would have been done by CSCEC. But five days after the contract was signed for the construction of the bridge, Financial Proposals were on 31st May opened for supervisory consultancy services for CRCCL’s works and eight companies again submitted.
While some of the previous bidders also bid, some did not.
Those bidding, according to the NPTAB’s website were Figg Bridge Inspection Inc. in association with E & A Consultant, Dan. B. & Associates at a cost of US$459,460, US$7,739,312; RITES Limited in association with CB Associates Inc. US$9,412,830, US$2,026,804; Dyrock Acuitas Consortium- US$2,630,925, US$11,665,806; WSP Del Istmo S:De R.L Infinity Service Inc.- US$6,774,360, US$1,131,976; Egis Group Consortium- US$1,396,503, US$5,236,888; Polite Ingegneria in association with SRKN’gineering Associates- US$4,400,000, US$440,000; RAISE International in association with CEMCO Inc., Stantec Consulting International LLC- US$2,192,676, US$15,661,973; and Daraya Enterprise Limited in association with BCC Engineering LLC- US$16,458,213.
The construction of the bridge will utilise a Design-Build-Finance (DBF) model. It is estimated that construction will last for two years. The bridge will be 2.65 kilometres long with a driving surface width of 23.6 metres to accommodate four lanes. The high-span fixed bridge will fall in the vicinity of the current location and terminate at Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara. “The new design of the Demerara Harbour Bridge will not require opening or retraction to allow for maritime traffic and will be built with a life span of at least 50 years,” the bidding document states.
There has been a major controversy over the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency not to require an Environmental Impact Assessment for the project.
The mid-year report also informed that $320 million was expended during the first half of the year to rehabilitate two pontoons. Other related works to ensure that the bridge’s safety is not compromised, will be executed during the second half of the year. The bridge was out of operation for hours on Sunday after a sand barge struck its retractor span.
