Two 6-hour shut down of Harbour Bridge this weekend

The Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) will be closed to all vehicular traffic on November 20 and 21 in order to restore two major components – retractor spans 9 and 10 which were damaged due to years of wear and tear.

A notice published on the DHB’s Facebook page outlined that the bridge will be closed on Saturday from 12 midnight to 6 am and then again on Sunday from 12 midnight to 6am on Monday.

Earlier in the year, a multi-million dollar contract was awarded to Industrial Fabrication (INFAB) to repair and replace the damaged retractor spans which facilitate the daily openings for seagoing vessels; both are said to absorb the most “wear and tear.”

INFAB has completed its offsite design and fabrication works and is now ready to work on-site. These works will result in the opening of the retractor spans.

“Management is conscious of the inconvenience these closures will cause by in the interest of safety, Spans 9 and 10 have to be rehabilitated without delay,” the DHBC said in the notice.

It was explained that the general objective of the rehabilitation project is to restore the retractor spans by eliminating the existing structural deficiencies and reconstruct retractor spans 9 so as to improve the bridge’s condition, geometrics, safety and load-carrying capacity.

INFAB is required to supply, deliver, install, test, commission and transport, and carry out assembly with all necessary permits, ancillary, and work systems, whether expressly indicated or not.

Repair works are also being carried out on the anchorage of the structure to the tune of $500 million. The 43-year-old structure has already outlived its lifespan.