Eccles-Great Diamond highway progressing smoothly – Min Croal

Eccles to Providence lot to be done in time for cricket

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, MP, said works on the Eccles to Great Diamond Four-Lane Highway on the East Bank of Demerara are progressing smoothly.

The contract for the $13.3 billion project was awarded to 12 contractors in December last year.

Works ongoing on the Eccles to Great Diamond Road

Minister Croal said notwithstanding the inclement weather, contractors are pushing to complete the first lot-Eccles to Providence, in time for the cricket finals slated for September at the Providence National Stadium.

“We are hoping to be able to use that [Eccles to Providence Road] sometime in September when we have the carnival because one can expect the increased traffic during that period,” he told DPI in an interview. 

The project has been divided into 12 lots and includes the construction of more than 30 reinforced concrete bridges, 8.6 kilometers of reinforced concrete highway road and, two roundabouts.

The throughfare will connect to the already completed Mandela to Eccles Four lane road. 

works ongoing on the Eccles landfill road

The minister explained that works are ongoing to complete the roundabout and the concrete drains of the Eccles Landfill Road which connects the highway.

Further, the dumpsite road, which leads to the industrial area, Providence and other housing developments, is part of one of the main connectivity for the Ogle, East Coast Demerara to Eccles, EBD roads and other major infrastructural projects.

“That project is a very costly road…it is one of our main connectivity for our major infrastructure transformation and highway…that means that road will take on major importance,” he stressed.

Minister Croal has announced that $20 billion will be spent on the expansions of major highways such as the extension of Aubrey Barker Road to Enmore, the extension of the Eccles Landfill and Schoonord to Crane roads.

These major infrastructural projects will be complemented by the $52 billion new Demerara River Bridge and the widening and expansion of the ECD Railway Embankment Road. 

Once completed, the roads are expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion on the coast. it will also make way for the establishments of new housing developments and commercial zones.

CATEGORIES
TAGS