Observations on East Bank Road Construction Project in Guyana
A perspective from the Guyana Times details the challenges and coordination involved in the East Bank Road construction project, noting the difficulty of maintaining traffic flow around critical infrastructure.
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According to the Guyana Times, an observer noted teams wearing reflective clothing labeled CRBC working at various locations on East Bank Road during the daytime. The project was described as potentially the most challenging undertaken in Guyana because it required maintaining 24/7 traffic flow to essential areas, including Guyana's largest airport, military installations, schools, medical facilities, numerous businesses, and tens of thousands of residents, as the road could not be fully closed for construction. The Traffic Police have clearly played one of the most significant roles in this road construction project thus far. We Guyanese know ourselves and must admit that if the Traffic Police were not at each construction site 24/7, the instructions to stop and wait given by ordinary traffic management staff would never have been heeded.
The work team from China Road and Bridge Corporation collaborated with the Traffic Police, the Ministry of Public Works, and Sheladia Inc. to undertake the reconstruction, which included work on drains and utilities while residents continued to live and conduct business on the road. This required working outside of normal hours, often into the night when traffic was less than during the day, though discomfort for users was expected.
The observer highlighted that the project involved a diverse workforce from nationalities including Guyana, China, Canada, England, Cuba, and Venezuela, emphasizing that cultural differences needed to be managed in this multinational effort.
Work continues under extreme conditions such as heat, rain, high winds, and the risk posed by speeding or intoxicated drivers. A specific issue noted was the disruption of carefully planned one-lane traffic diversions by belligerent drivers who chose to overtake the entire line instead of waiting in line.
The Traffic Police were noted as playing a very significant role in the road construction project. The observer expressed gratitude on behalf of the Guyanese people to the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department for their efforts in maintaining traffic flow coordinated with China Road and Bridge Corporation.
China Road and Bridge Corporation was credited with accepting the project and seeing it through to its current stage, which the observer viewed as a significant responsibility. The observer suggested that any future projects China Road and Bridge Corporation accepts in Guyana would likely receive similar dedication.
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