The cement was poured on the final of 35 concrete Towers on Saturday night, marking a significant milestone in the construction of the new Demerara River Bridge and moving closer towards the August 31, 2025, deadline.
In fact, construction works are approximately 90.7 per cent completed.
This was revealed by Public Works Ministers, Juan Edghill, and Deodat Indar who joined local engineers, the contractor – China Railway Construction (International) Limited, other officials and workers on Saturday night to witnessed the final pouring of cement on the last concrete pillar (P-35), located on the eastern side, to be erected on the bridge project.
According to Minister Edghill, some 1,600 cubic meters of concrete was poured for each tower.
The next milestone event in the project would be the completion of the 17 cable stay sections, which will be 570 meters across the channel.
Of that 570 meters, some 350 meters have already been completed across the channel, while another 220 meters have to be cast in order for the 2.8-kilometre high-span, four-lane cable-stayed bridge to connect.
“By June 15, we would have completed the installation of all of the girders on the eastern side. All of the girders on the western side is already in. And what that means is that the bridge will be completely assembled, and it’s just a matter of pouring the concrete, putting in the asphaltic surface, the rails, putting on the lights. And I think in engineering, they call it the furnishings and the finishing,” Edghill stated.
As it relates to the spans on the cable, 11 out of 17 are completed.
With over 1,300 workers, of whom more than 100 are Guyanese, working 24 hours, the senior Public Works Minister noted that the project is progressing with stealth and speed.
“Everything is on track… Everything that is needed for the bridge, which we were nervous about, is in the country.”
“It’s been a long journey. By no means we are saying that the bridge is finished tonight, but what we are definitely saying this milestone event has brought us much, much, much closer to the completion of the bridge,” Edghill noted
Despite challenges such shipping and logistical woes, both Ministers Indar and Edghill assured that the US$262 million will not only be completed on time but also within budget.
Meanwhile, officials from the supervisory firm, Politecnica, has also assured that the quality of work being executed on the project is according to international specifications. “All that we’re seeing is what has been specified for the project,” a representative of the consultancy firm told reporters at the project site Saturday evening.
To complement the new bridge, extensive road upgrades along the East Bank of Demerara and West Coast Demerara are ongoing and will play a major role in significantly reducing traffic congestion and travel time.
Once complete, the bridge will connect Regions Three and Four, improving economic activity. The toll-free crossing will accommodate vehicles of all sizes, with a speed limit of 80km/h.
Designed to last at least 100 years, the bridge will also feature the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH), Guyana’s second-highest national award, as part of its design.
