Repairs start on Demerara Harbour Bridge
─decision pending on allowing heavy-duty vehicles to cross
Barge [foreground] that collided with the Demerara Harbour Bridge
The Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) has started repairs on the damaged sections of the bridge that was struck by a barge on Wednesday.
Speaking with the Department of Public information (DPI) via telephone, General Manager of DHBC Mr. Rawlston Adams said works began after a repair team mobilised at 4am on Thursday.
“We are expected at 10 o’clock to reassess our work for this morning and we are going to be making some decisions on things like transit through the high span and whether we are going to do retraction at 1pm today,” Mr. Adams said.
After a pause in work due to the high tide, further repairs will continue at 1pm.
The General Manager revealed that the DHBC will then deliberate on whether or not to permit vehicles weighing 12 to 18 tonnes to cross the bridge.
So far, the emergency works have not affected traffic flow across the bridge and only vehicles weighing up to 12 tonnes are allowed to travel on the bridge.
Following the incident, the DHBC waived tolls on December 9 to expedite the flow of traffic.