Traffic on the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) has been restricted to minibuses, cars and lorries no heavier than 12 tonnes after a tug and barge transporting bauxite crashed into the high span of the bridge yesterday afternoon shifting it out of alignment.
Last night, the DHB said that at approximately 4.38 pm yesterday, Motor Tug and Barge named “Rediston and Surtrans” operated by Dale Andrews Green, collided with, and damaged several sections in the vicinity of the high span of the bridge.
The bridge was immediately closed to vehicular traffic and after some immediate interventions, at approximately 5.40 pm the bridge was reopened to light vehicular traffic.
Engineers and the technical team operating with the challenge of the dark, conducted an initial assessment and the following determinations and actions were taken: –
- An emergency meeting was held at the DHBC Boardroom comprising the Chairman, Ravie Ramcharitar, Juan Edghill, Minister of Public Works, supported by Robeson Benn, Minister of Home Affairs, Rawlston Adams, the General Manager and Technical Team. The decision made after due consideration of all the information that was available was that at approximately 9 last night the bridge would begin to facilitate vehicular traffic up to 12 tons which is the weight of an empty double axel lorry.
- Contact was made with the owner/agent of the tug and barge. At 4 pm today a meeting has been convened at the Boardroom with representatives of the owner/agents of the tug and barge to facilitate an inspection of the damage which is necessary before remedial emergency repairs begin.
- The team, equipment and spares to effect the repairs have been mobilized and will begin physical work at approximately 4 pm today and it is proposed that they will work late into the evening to complete this exercise. Because of the damage to the alignment to the bridge, the 10th December 2020 scheduled 1 am opening to facilitate marine traffic has been cancelled. It is anticipated that at 1 pm today the marine crossing will be available. The DHB urged only essential travel and asked businesses and commercial users to delay at least by 24 hrs the movement of goods and supplies since during the period of repairs the DHB will only be able to accommodate vehicles up to 12 tons.
- The non-payment of the toll which was instituted yesterday was only a temporary measure to expedite the flow and reduce the backup of vehicular traffic.
