Around 20% of West Coast road upgrade finished -Project Coordinator

The West Coast Demerara highway project from Vreed-en-Hoop to Hydronie is now approximately 20 percent completed.

Kester Hinds, Project Coordinator of the Minis-try of Public Infrastructure told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that 20 percent completed indicates that significant strides were made.

The objective of the project is to increase traffic efficiency and improve road safety along the West Coast Demerara highway.

Road widening ongoing at Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, Region Three (GINA photo)
Road widening ongoing at Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, Region Three (GINA photo)

“We’re going to be installing infrastructure that can contribute to enhancing safety on the road in the form of cycle lanes, not throughout, but in some areas. Pedestrian sidewalks and highway lights will be installed in areas where they are absent, (and) high intensity visible traffic signs and proper road markings will be done,” Hinds said.

The project which is expected to be completed over the next three years, includes widening of the road in some areas to accommodate cycle lanes and pedestrian sidewalks, the reconstruction of a bridge at Groenveldt, repairs to existing culverts, capping the entire surface of the road and raising some sections, and construction of concrete drains.

Additionally the corridor will be widened for the comfortable parking of vehicles and stopping of passenger vehicles without traffic being disrupted, GINA said.

“The extensive nature of the work is being done from the Hydronie section coming back to Vreed-en-Hoop… that’s the final 6 km… that’s where we started most of the works and we’ve added the first layer to about 2 km of that section,” Hinds said, according to GINA.

The project is based on an agreement between the Government and the Caribbean Development Bank valued at US$46.8M.