Edghill outlines bridge, ferry plans to cut travel time for Regions One, Two and Seven
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill says major road, bridge and ferry linkages now being rolled out are set to dramatically reduce travel time and improve 24-hour access between several regions.
Speaking on ongoing works, Edghill pointed to developments around Bartica, noting that the road being built from Timehri-Sandhills to Bartica will cut the journey to about two hours.
“Look what is happening at Bartica. You know, we are building out that road from Timehri-Sandhills to connect with Bartica. It’s going to be a two hour drive. I’ve done it already,” the minister said.
He added that components of the Demerara Harbour Bridge will be repurposed to create new river crossings, making connectivity between key locations easier. According to Edghill, parts of the bridge will be used to link across the Demerara River to support the Timehri-Sandhills corridor.
The minister also revealed that similar bridge components will be used to improve access between Leguan and Wakenaam. He said this was explained during the recent commissioning of the new ferry, the MV Konwaruk 1899.
“Under the guidance of His Excellency, we have already done work to get an alignment to use components and sections of the Demerara Harbour Bridge to link Leguan and Wakenaam,” Edghill explained.
He outlined how the new system will significantly reduce travel time for commuters and the movement of goods. Instead of ferries travelling downriver for up to two hours, crossings between Supenaam, Leguan and Wakenaam could take as little as 10 minutes.
“A ferry, rather than having to go down the river- 2 hours, 90 minutes, depending on what’s the weight and the tide- 10 minutes, you can cross to Leguan, drive straight through to Wakenaam, connect with a ferry that is on a touch-and-go basis, and you’re in Supenaam,” he said.
Edghill said the improved network will provide 24-hour access for residents of Region Two and Region One, noting that many persons from Region One pass through Charity when travelling to Georgetown. He said the upgraded system will reduce travel time while improving overall service.
While water taxis will remain in operation and be made safer, the minister acknowledged their limitations for heavy cargo.
“We’re going to keep the water taxis. We’re going to make water taxis safer, but when you have to move tens of tons of building material, or tons of food supplies, water taxis are not the best option,” he said.
Turning to Region Seven, Edghill noted that increased economic activity and demand have already led to expanded ferry services to Bartica, with two daily trips currently in operation.
“Right now for the people of Region Seven, because of the growth and the demand, we are right now doing two ferry trips to Bartica on a daily basis,” he said, while cautioning that rapid development sometimes outpaces public awareness of the improvements being made.
