Road widening works at Liliendaal underway

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DPI, GUYANA, Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Travelling along the railway embankment, in the vicinity of the Giftland Mall, Liliendaal, will soon be stress-free as a road widening project progresses.

The approximately $60Million project which commenced March 2018 is aimed at reducing traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours.

Manager, Traffic/Safety/Maintenance at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Kester Hinds explained that the project was conceptualised in 2017 to alleviate the backup of vehicles along the roadway.

“So, we’re doing some geometric improvement or widening of the road, that is geared towards enhancing the efficiency of the road at this particular location. On weekends there is usually a high volume of traffic here and we’re trying to eliminate that,” Hinds explained.

According to Hinds, the scope of work includes widening the road to facilitate ‘turning’ and ‘through’ lanes. Therefore, drivers heading in an easterly direction on the railway embankment would not be interrupted by motorists making right turns towards the mall.

Likewise, those persons heading in a westerly direction, making a left turn towards the mall would enter into a slip lane, which would allow for those in the through lane to proceed.

The presence of the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) and Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) fibre optics overhead and buried cables has delayed the project.  However, Hinds said, those companies are in the process of removing the utilities, while works progress. Similar works will be executed on other sections of the embankment.

“At the intersection, we will have four lanes, but we want to have it stretched a little further where we can have the same turning movements from independent lanes at other locations, for example like the intersection at UG road and the railway embankment.”

The works are being executed by BK International with minimal disruption to traffic. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of June.

The project falls under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s, Infrastructure Development Programme which addresses installation of sidewalks and highway lights. The sum of $113M was allocated in the 2018 budget for continued infrastructural developmental works.

 

By: Ranetta La Fleur

Photos by Leon Leung.