As the $1.2Billion East Bank Berbice (EBB) road project is nearing
completion, 2.1 kilometres of the first layer of paved asphalt surface
of the planned 5 kilometres has been completed.
Resident Engineer, Joel Tucker told the Department of Public
Information (DPI) that this covers the stretch of road from Everton to
Edinburgh and the section in Islington. The remaining 2.9 kilometres
of asphalt surface will commence as shortly.
Tucker said despite challenges with the May/June rains, the exercise
which commenced in August 2017 will be completed by the end of the
year.
“Presently, we’re 50 percent in terms of asphalt placed. It was
difficult for us to place our sub-base during rainy weather, so now
that the rains have eased up we’ve begun most of our sub-base work in
the Glasgow and Heathburn area,” Tucker explained.
Some 1.9 kilometres of the base layer and the final layer of asphalt
are slated for completion in Glasgow. Preparations are underway to
begin the final layer of asphalt in the Edinburgh, Everton and
Islington areas shortly.
Construction of the culvert at Baptiste Turn, Edinburgh is finished
and another at Glasgow is approximately 90 percent complete. The
remaining structures to be done are the bridges at Gay Park, Edinburgh
and recently-added Everton.
“We’re now driving piles for the bridge at the Everton location and
that is scheduled to be completed at the end of November. It’s
possible that we’ll complete the roadworks as scheduled but we may not
complete all the structures before the end of the year,” the Resident
Engineer underlined.
The safety features such as guardrails and road signage will also be
completed. Meanwhile, the removal of utilities is almost completed
with some minor Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) utilities remaining.
Additionally, a total of 120 light-emitting diodes (LED) roadway
lighting fixtures were installed between Stanleytown and Everton
Village in August.
This multi-million-dollar venture is being executed by the Ministry of
Public Infrastructure’s Special Project Unit utilising its own
equipment and employing residents from the EBB area.
