A new era for Guyana: Demerara River Bridge fully connected – President Ali leads final concrete pour

– bridge to be opened to the public very early in September, Pres. Ali

The New Demerara River Bridge is now fully connected from east to west, after President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and his team poured the final set of concrete into place on the main span early Thursday morning.

This landmark project is yet another infrastructural feat by the PPP/C administration, which stands to benefit thousands of Guyanese for generations to come.

The new crossing, which is set to be commissioned in a matter of days, consists of four lanes and spans 2.6 kilometres, connecting Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara to La Grange on the West Bank.

At its highest point, the bridge is 50 metres, which means Handymax vessels can pass comfortably underneath. With a lifespan of 100 years, the bridge is expected to mitigate current traffic woes and congestion.

Giving brief remarks at the site, President Ali acknowledged the momentous occasion, thanking the local and international teams for their tremendous work on the project.

“Together, we’ve achieved an incredible piece of infrastructure for Guyana, and we’ve been able to achieve this because of the teamwork and the hard work of this team,” he said.

Upon the completion of today’s pouring, the construction team will work to complete safety features on the main span, including the insertion of rails and dividers between the four lanes.

The president stated that the new Demerara River Bridge will be opened to the public very early in September.

“There’s one section of the entrance that will be completed, and of course we had some modifications of the design…for better traffic management and traffic flow…so I would say very early in September, we will be driving on and off of the bridge,” President Ali said.

The new crossing will operate 24/7, toll-free, and accommodate vehicles of all sizes and weights, with a maximum speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour.

Its design will also feature the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH), the country’s second-highest national award in the Order of Service.

More than 50,000 daily commuters are expected to benefit from the new bridge, resulting in an estimated $3.5 billion in annual savings.