No cars, SUVs allowed on Diamond–Good Success Road amid ongoing rehab works

Effective Tuesday, June 17, only trucks, heavy-load vehicles, and public transportation are permitted to use the Diamond to Good Success Public Road on the East Bank of Demerara, as rehabilitation works intensify.

The restriction is part of measures to facilitate critical upgrades to the busy corridor, which is the country’s most trafficked roadway.

“This work has been ongoing for a while…we have now gotten into that stage where we are now doing the rehabilitation of the actual carriageway which will see interruption of traffic,” Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill said during a visit to the site on Tuesday.

“What we are seeking to do now is to only allow trucks and vehicles carrying heavy loads to remain on this carriageway and all other…the smaller vehicles to start as of today, going through the bypasses that has been created,” he added.

The East Bank Demerara Public Road sees more than 30,000 vehicles daily, with trucks making up between 20 to 30 percent of that number.

“So we are asking for all other (vehicles) to keep off of this particular section so we can have the heavy machines working, traffic flowing and there is adequate arrangements with all of the signs that have been established starting from Heroes Highway,” Edghill said.

All other vehicles are now being diverted to alternative bypass roadways accessible from the Heroes Highway. From there, traffic can connect through Diamond, onto Jimbo Bridge, and back to the East Bank Highway. All bypass routes are marked, with signs to guide motorists.

Edghill also noted that discussions were held with the relevant Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) to ensure property owners retain access during the works.

Traffic diversion will be supported by the Guyana Police Force. Assistant Commissioner and Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh said police will be deploying resources to ensure the restrictions are enforced.

“As limited as we are we will do as we should do but before [it] goes into actual enforcement, the signs that help the road users to understand where the diversion is and where they can reroute, it has to be in place,” Singh said.

The $1.3 billion rehabilitation project is being executed in five lots by different contractors. According to Collin Gittens, Head of the Ministry’s Special Projects Unit, the works are 45 percent complete.

Once completed, the 1.6-kilometre stretch will feature widened lanes, enhanced capacity to carry heavier traffic loads, and improved shoulders for parking on both sides of the road.

 

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