Urgent need to address chaotic traffic on harbour bridge
Dear Editor, There is an urgent need for the Management of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation and the Guyana Police Force to intervene and develop solutions to address the chaotic situations that occur daily at the western approach of the Demerara Harbour Bridge. This situation is gradually getting from bad to worse, as the number of vehicles traversing the bridge on week day mornings now seem to have multiplied four-fold, when compared to eight years ago.
Thousands of citizens, like myself, have moved from other parts of the country and now reside in Schemes on the West Coast and West Bank of Demerara, and have afforded the convenience of personal vehicles to commute to work.
Eight years ago, the current system and timing of the double lane had worked very well. However, it is now time for the Authorities to go back to the drawing board and find solutions to remedy the surge in traffic every morning. Failure to address this situation will only leave a multitude of committed, public servants, private sector workers, students and other road users coming from the West side late, tired and frustrated when they reach their destinations. These road users would also have to spend more money on fuel and inhale their daily dose of exhaust fumes as they wait bumper to bumper for ridiculously extensive periods to get to Georgetown.
While the Authorities try to find some solutions until the new bridge is built, I have a few to share for immediate implementation, and they are as follows:
1. Open the double lane traffic from the Western side from 06:45 h instead of 07:00 h on week days. The double lane could still close at 07:30 h. This additional 15 minutes could significantly ease the congestion.
2. Instead of opening the bridge to Marine traffic at 05:00 h in the morning, open from 04:30h so that the flow of road traffic can recommence at 06:00 h.
3. Equip Police Officers managing the traffic at the bridge with radio sets so they can easily communicate with each other while at the different traffic points.
4. Police Officers at the Eastern side of the bridge need to give a little more consideration for traffic coming from the western side by not restricting the flow of traffic, especially at the time of the double lane in the mornings.
As more and more citizens become residents on the west side of the Demerara River, the need for a new bridge is becoming more and more critical. While residents wait for this solution, which will drastically change the lives of thousands of “west siders” for better, let’s continue to see it necessary to brainstorm and arrive at solutions which will make the lives of many more comfortable. Let us quickly find solutions for the daily traffic congestions at the Demerara Habour Bridge.
Yours faithfully, Lloyd David