GEORGETOWN - The Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) and the Guyana Police Force ‘A’ Division commissioned a surveillance system worth close to $4 million at the Brickdam Police Station Friday, August 8, 2014.
The system entails the monitoring of traffic across the DHB and its activities in the environs of the bridge by police officers who have been given access to CCTV feeds located at the DHB.
Out of 26 cameras at the DHB, the police have been given access to 18 which will provide live footage and of a quality which has the ability to pick up the description of a driver, vehicle registration number, type of vehicle and other special features that will help in police investigative work.
The cameras are able to beam a certain distance on along the East Bank Carriageway to the East of the Bridge and a certain distance along the West Bank Demerara public road to the West of the Bridge.
General Manager of the Harbour Bridge Rawleston Adams following a demonstration of how the system works indicated that the initiative has been in the making for the past three to four years but had to be placed on hold to facilitate the shifting of the administrative functionaries of the bridge to another building.
The recording is being done 24 hours and can be played back at any time.
The recorded footage is properly stored and can be retrieved by either the DHB or the police at their individual ends if the need arises.
Commander of the ‘A’ Division Cliffton Hicken thanked the management of the Mr. Adams and the Ministry of Public Works for understanding the importance of the partnership and the need for the police to be able to have access to real time recordings.
He also assured that there that will be strict confidentiality with respect to the monitoring of the cameras and the relaying of information. (INews)
KINGSTON - The members of a technical team have been identified and are expected to review some 23 expressions of interest in the construction of a new Demerara River crossing.
Minister of Public Works, Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn said that the team will begin their review once final arrangements regarding their efforts are concluded.
He said, “We had gone out for expressions of interest. We have those from about 23 and there is a technical review committee that will look at these and shortlist those we would want to participate in a public/private, or whatever model we decide, with respect to costing and design and so on.”
Government had previously indicated that it would invite expressions of interest for a public-private partnership for the construction of the new bridge.
Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) General Manager, Rawlston Adams, in February this year, had explained that the feasibility study for the new bridge has already been completed, with Versailles on the West Bank, and Houston on the East Bank being determined as having the best advantage in terms of location. Also, Good Hope on the East Bank and Patentia on the West Bank were cited as possible locations.
Minister Benn, at that time, reported that any such arrangements will be handled by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and not his ministry, since that is the agency which attends to such matters.
He further explained that the reason such an arrangement is being sought is because the Government does not have the kind of money it will take to finance the venture.
Benn also reported that a freshwater environment is the perfect habitat in which to relocate the current Demerara Harbour Bridge, when its replacement comes into operation, with the Kurupukari Crossing on the Upper Essequibo River being listed as the likely candidate.
The new bridge will be made of reinforced concrete, have four lanes (some 20 metres wide) for vehicular traffic; a walkway for pedestrians; a cycle lane; navigational clearance (100m wide); navigational aids; and an estimated length of 2,250 meters.
The current use of the Demerara Bridge is estimated at 17,000 vehicles a day, a massive volume of traffic utilising the decades-old bridge. (Guyana Chronicle)
PETERS HALL - Fifty seven year-old and father of one, Seepersaud Roopchand, a Tug Operator attached to the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) fell overboard at approximately 11:40 a.m. on May 31, 2014.
He was later pronounced dead at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.
Mr. Roopchand was on duty from 6 a.m. to facilitate a bridge inspection. However, he was advised at around 8 a.m. that the inspection was no longer needed and to moor the vessel at Span 8 - the normal docking position.
At approximately 11:40 a.m., a DHB Engineer observed that the tug “Rickford L” was capsized and that Mr. Roopchand was being swept downstream. The DHB’s maintenance boat, which is equipped with safety equipment, was immediately mobilized for the rescue of the West Bank Demerara resident.
Mr. Roopchand’s body was retrieved some 200 to 300 meters downstream of the bridge. CPR was immediately administered by fellow workers but their efforts were unsuccessful.
The DHB has mounted an internal investigation into the matter. The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Police were notified of the incident and are conducting independent investigations.
Mr. Roopchand was a licensed boat operator with DHB since July 25, 2013, and was an experienced captain. Mr. Roopchand’s wife and his next of kin were notified of the incident.
Minister of Public Works Hon. Robeson Benn and the General Manager (GM) Rawlston Adams expressed their deepest regrets at the incident.
PETERS HALL - Privately owned Motor Cars travelling west bound on the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) accounted for one third of the Bridge's toll revenue for the month of March 2014.
Over GYD $39M was recorded, which represented an 18 percent increase when compared to the same period last year.
DHB’s monthly report submitted to Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn indicated that Motor Cars (P) accounted for 33.63 percent of the Bridge’s income followed by Mini-Bus 19.36 percent and Trucks (2-axle) at 19.30 percent.
The toll for private Motor Cars is $100; Mini-Bus $200 and Trucks (2-axle) $400.
PETER’S HALL - Two pivots and A-frame at spans 59 and 60 on the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) were replaced over the weekend.
According to its General Manager, Rawlston Adams, preparatory works to execute this operation began three months ago.
He stated that the first exercise was done on the western end of the structure when the bridge collapsed in July 2012. And, in September 2013, the second operation was done on the eastern end. This final replacement exercise will be carried out on the western spans.
Fabrication of the components was done by Courtney Benn Construction Services Limited.
PETER’S HALL - Police Officer, David Lindo, crashed his vehicle into a section of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) on January 29, 2014 which caused over GYD$200,000 in damages.
According to the General Manager RawlstonAdams, the incident occurred around 23:40 h. The Officer’s vehicle collided into the Bridge Rails at Span 45 which damaged two Cable Trays anda Diamond Panel Member. The total figure for the compromised section amounted to $233,703.
Furthermore, the Officer involved threw Mr. Adams’ mobile phone into the river. However, it has been replaced.
The Police are currently conducting an internal investigation into the matter.
KINGSTON - A freshwater environment is the perfect habitat in which to relocate the current Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) when its replacement comes into operation, and according to Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, the Kurupukari Crossing on the Upper Essequibo River is a likely candidate.
“The elements of the bridge at the time when the new bridge comes into place, since it is a floating bridge, will be moved, preferably to a freshwater crossing location,” he told reporters Friday, Janiary 31, 2014.
As DHB General Manager, Mr Rawlston Adams hastened to explain, it is more economical to move the bridge to a location where it is useful, rather than leaving it standing at its present location. “If we are going for a high-level bridge, and then you want to keep a low-level bridge in terms of marine transit, that would be a bottleneck, and it defeats the purpose of having a high-level bridge,” he said.
The feasibility study for the new bridge has already been completed, with Versailles on the West Bank, to Houston on the East Bank being determined as having the best advantage in terms of location, as are Good Hope on the East Bank and Patentia on the West Bank.
With the government having indicated that it will invite Expressions of Interest for a public-private partnership for the construction of the new bridge, Minister Benn has reported that any such arrangements will be handled by NICIL (National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited) and not his ministry, since that is the agency which attends to such matters.
He further explained that the reason such an arrangement is being sought is because the government does not have the kind of money it will take to finance the venture.
The new bridge will be made of reinforced concrete, have four lanes (some 20 metres wide) for vehicular traffic; a walkway for pedestrians; a cycle lane; navigational clearance (100m wide); navigational aids; and an estimated length of 2250 m.
PETER’S HALL - With the exception of two missing clusters, everything is back to normal at the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) following six hours of intense engineering works on the structure by bridge employees late Wednesday night into yesterday morning.
The works were done under the watchful eyes of Transport and Public Works Minister, Robeson Benn, General Manager of Demerara Harbour Bridge, Rawlston Adams and consultant engineer with the Ministry of Public Works, Walter Willis. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle moments before the works began, Adams said that they were working to ensure that they meet the deadline they had set so that traffic, both ocean and vehicular, could transit the bridge as normal.
Asked about the initial cost of rectifying the damage caused by an oil tanker which had slammed into the facility after the pilot reportedly failed to heed the directions of the bridge traffic controller, Adams put the preliminary cost at just over $20 million.
He also pointed out that the figure has the potential to go higher since there were other aspects of the investigation which has not yet been completed. He noted that the company is aware of the figure being looked at since the company representatives were part of the initial investigation. However, Adams told the Chronicle that the entities involved have failed to come to a common ground with the initial price tag for the damage. When this publication visited the bridge Wednesday night, all materials, machinery and workers were in waiting until the bridge was closed. However, it did not close at 22:00 hrs as the management had initially reported but a grace period of half hour was given for commuters to cross the bridge.
The works entailed the removal and replacement of one of the transoms, the changing of four connecting posts and the testing of the retractor span. The bridge had been unable to open since Sunday’s accident but once all the repair works go according to plan, the first retraction since Sunday will be today at 11 am.
On Wednesday all hands were on board and workers were visibly working hard and fast to ensure they met the deadline set to have the works completed. While the works were dominated by men there was also one woman on the same level of the men and she was competing for equal space in getting the job done. (Guyana Chronicle
PETER'S HALL - The Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) will be closed to vehicular traffic from 22:00hrs on Wednesday up to 04:00hrs on Thursday, to facilitate repairs after a vessel collided with the bridge, causing damage.
Currently the structure is closed to marine traffic and is expected to resume contractions for river vessels on Thursday.
General Manager of the Bridge, Rawlston Adams at a press conference yesterday - December 6, reported that the incident occurred on Sunday at about 05:15 hrs with an internationally registered fuel tanker owned by Pritchard-Gordon tankers of the United Kingdom.
According to Adams, the captain of the vessel, a local, was given clearance to transit at 05:15hrs, however it was observed that the vessel was approaching in an unorthodox position.
“After that was noticed, instructions were then given to the pilot again … the response from the pilot was ‘I know what I am doing,” Adams revealed. Subsequently, after the pilot’s failure to observe instructions, the vessel struck the bridge, causing damage that is considered significant.
Inspections have thus far shown damage to two cluster piles, the pontoon and transom. The bridge was also slightly repositioned following the mishap, however that was corrected several hours after and vehicular traffic resumed.
“We expect that the owners of the vessel would bear all the costs. I have had an initial discussion and they have made a commitment that once we do a joint inspection and we assess the cost, they have given a commitment that they will stand the cost for the repairs,” Adams stated.
Engineers are currently engaged in mobilising the necessary materials to facilitate a speedy repair process.
“We had fabricated those components a long time ago in the event of such. We are confident we have the necessary resources to fix and restore the bridge to proper order,” added Adams. (GINA)
PETERS HALL – The Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) has seen a 5.2 increase in traffic flow between January and October 2013 compared to the same period last year.
The Corporation’s General Manager, Rawlston Adams, in his monthly report disclosed that the percent represents a difference of 13,020 vehicles.
Motor Car (private) accounted for 48.03 percent for the spoke, followed by Motor Car (hire) 14.19 percent and mini-bus (H) - 13.85 percent.
Below is the percentage and toll revenue generated from the various categories of vehicles transiting the Demerara Harbour Bridge in the Western direction during the month of October 2013.
Comparison of West Bound Vehicles for the years 2012 & 2013
MONTH
2012
2013
DIFFERENCE OF TOTAL FROM 2012
PERCENTAGE DIFFERENCE (+/-)
TOTAL
DAILY AVERAGE
JANUARY
237,550
7,663
260,392
8,400
22,842
9.62%
FEBRUARY
222,130
7,660
232,234
8,294
10,104
4.5%
MARCH
242,132
7,811
261,014
8,420
18,882
7.8%
APRIL
244,410
8,147
253,728
8,458
9,318
3.8%
MAY
231,889
7,480
248,992
8,032
17,103
7.4%
JUNE
236,398
7,880
247,482
8,249
11,084
4.7%
JULY
231,753
7,476
263,886
8,512
32,133
13.9%
AUGUST
260,813
8,413
274,783
8,864
13,970
5.4%
SEPTEMBER
246,555
8,219
250,855
5,362
4,300
1.7%
OCTOBER
252,607
8,149
265,627
8,569
13,020
5.2%
NOVEMBER
250,080
8,336
DECEMBER
269,497
8,693
YEAR-TO-DATE (JAN - SEPT)
2,153,630
2,558,993
152,756
GRAND TOTAL
2,925,814
