Mandela bypass nearly ready for four-lane traffic
Stabroek News
July 15, 2004
Despite showers over the last few days, work is moving ahead on the four-lane highway between Mandela Avenue and Peter's Hall, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
Contractor, Seereeram Bros has begun paving the left lane of the bypass linking Houston to Mandela Avenue while continuing work on the main East Bank road.
Contractors recently gave President Bharrat Jagdeo assurances that this section of the new four-lane roadway would be completed soon so as to ease severe congestion.
Meanwhile, work is also being undertaken on the Peter's Hall Bridge next to the entrance of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) where several 65-ft, octagon-shaped concrete piles are being planted for the foundation of a wider bridge.
Some 13 of these piles from the company Pres-t-con in neighbouring Trinidad are being sunk in the immediate vicinity of the bridge.
Contractors are also concentrating their efforts on the eastern side of the road at Eccles where they are constructing the concrete retaining wall.
Apart from the current intermittent rainfall, the shortage of bitumen had caused delays. However, arrangements are being put in place to secure adequate supplies of bitumen which is also needed by Dipcon for the East Coast Road.
Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Anthony Xavier along with Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon had been mandated by President Jagdeo to engage Shell who are the only importers of the product to iron out kinks which might cause supply shortfalls.
Luncheon in a subsequent press briefing had indicated that government was in the process of determining what were the exact requirements for the item to deal with shortfalls.