Makouria and Bonasika bridges under construction as highway project expands
Work has started on the Makouria and Bonasika Bridges, key structures that will link the Parika-Goshen road and eventually bring an end to reliance on the Parika ferry.
Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, confirmed that both contracts have been awarded and construction is underway. The Makouria Bridge, he explained, will connect Regions Four and Seven, while both bridges form part of the corridor that ties into the larger Schoonard-to-Parika four-lane highway project.
That highway is being built in phases. The first stretch from Schoonord to Crane is already open, and the next phase will extend the four lanes to Parika. According to the minister, the first package of works for this extension—covering about 15 bridges between Schoonord and Parika—has been awarded and construction has started.
At the same time, progress has also been made on the Parika-Goshen road. The corridor has been cleared, allowing four-wheel drive vehicles to traverse, and in recent weeks trucks have begun using the route. Officials have also travelled the stretch by ATV from Bartica to Sandhills and across the river.
Edghill stressed that the works are advancing steadily and that tenders for the remaining sections will soon be opened. Once completed, he noted, the four-lane highway and its connecting bridges will ease congestion, reduce travel time, and open up new lands for development along the West Demerara corridor.
