Motorists can now access what is being dubbed Guyana first major roundabout. Situated at the junction of Vlissingen Road and Carifesta Avenue, the roundabout was commissioned yesterday at a ceremony during which Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, revealed that some additional work will be included.
Patterson said that the $79Million roundabout will be outfitted with landscaping work at its which he said will include flowers of the Caribbean in keeping with the Carifesta theme. He said that a suitable private company will be selected to execute that.
Additionally, traffic lights will be installed and the painting of the mediums and curbs with reflective paints will be done by the ministry shortly.
The final phase is the waterfront development, in which the seawall area from the Kitty pump station to the Pegasus Hotel will be upgraded into a commercial space. Work on that project is yet to commence but the consultancy has been awarded and a first report is expected in October.
The first phase of the roundabout began with the upgrading of Carifesta Avenue in 2016 for over $182 Million including new street lights. Following that, extensive pipe works were conducted in the vicinity of the roundabout after a sinkhole developed in December due to the failure of three pipes feeding the Kitty pump station. That entailed the installation of culverts along Kitty, Vlissingen Road and Carifesta Avenue leading to the pump station in order to improve drainage in the outlying areas and to create a firm base for the roundabout.
Similar roundabouts will be constructed at Timehri and at Sheriff Street under the Sheriff/Mandela Avenue road project.
It is expected that these roundabouts will significantly improve the flow of traffic.
