Demerara Harbour Bridge recorded increased vehicular traffic in 2014

Demerara Harbour BridgeGeorgetown: The Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) recorded a 5.1% increase in vehicular traffic in 2014; in fact, during December, a total of 11, 555 transited in one direction, which is the highest number ever recorded.

According to DHB’s General Manager Rawlston Adams, marine traffic saw a decline from 1,279 in 2013 to 1,191 in 2014, which is a 6.6% decrease. Adams was at the time updating the media, on the agency’s accomplishments for 2014, which he described as outstanding.

Marine toll for 2014 amounted to $20,266,000 as compared with $20,532,000 in 2013, a 1.30 percent decrease, while vehicular toll amounted to $462,446,099 in 2014, as against $412,270,181 in 2013. In the case of other revenues, the DHB saw a total of   $50,517,283 being generated in 2014, as against $29,331,724 in 2013, which brings the overall total amount of income generated to $71,095,477 for 2014.

The total expenditure for the DHB was $437,070,603 in 2014, as compared with $369,468,166 in 2013, an 18.3 percent difference, according to Adams.  He said that the DHB was contracted by the Works Ministry to conduct maintenance works on bridges on the railway embankment, Moleson Creek and the Essequibo coast. These contractual works resulted in a 95.17% increase in the DHB’s income.

The harbour bridge expended a total of $337,324,874 on its capital works for 2014. These works include the fabrication of three pontoons and  10 transoms, servicing of 18 pontoons, fabrication of connecting posts ( 30 pairs ), supply of sheaves and shackles (120 snatch blocks ), fabrication of 60 buoys and the  rehabilitation of one tug.

The bridge has expanded to incorporate the asphalt plant, which ran a total revenue of $1,776,868,981.

Works executed at the asphalt plant, during the year 2014, include the refurbishing of the main office, guard hut, workers’ section and scale room; also the acquiring new backhoe and repairing front end loader, installation of a new generator, installing new totaliser and probe sensors on plant, the relocation of transformer, installation of communication tower, replacing asphalt plant trunnion tyre and roller, mixer fan, exhaust fan, flights and gear boxes and the servicing of all AC and DC motors

There were also major components replaced for 2014; these include ropes to anchorage- 153; sheave-55; connecting posts-59; buoys,  68; pivots, 6; deck plates- 478;  A frames-2; and transoms-7.

A total of 48,408.88 tons of asphalt concrete was produced for the year 2014, a 4,034.07 tons average monthly.

For 2015, the ministry is hoping to rehabilitate cluster piles (high span north), supply wire rope; fabricate connecting posts; and supply chord bolts servicing of pontoons.