Harbour bridge back in service

The Demerara Harbour Bridge Company has completed its realignment of the damaged bridge and from 7pm yesterday, laden and unladen trucks were to be allowed to traverse. General Manager Rawlston Adams last evening told Stabroek News that workers have been toiling around the clock to ensure that the bridge is one hundred per cent functional.

He said that from 7 last night, trucks weighing up 18 tonnes were to be allowed to cross while after 4 am today, trucks weighing over 18 tonnes will have access to the bridge. According to Adams, they have scheduled a retraction for 9 am today to allow vessels to traverse. With the temporary closure of the bridge, vessels were not allowed to cross. The bridge, which had been hit by a tug and barge early on Monday morning, was reopened to light vehicular traffic around 2 pm on Tuesday, four hours before the scheduled reopening. At a press conference on Tuesday, Adams said they had to reconnect eight connecting posts, five sheaves, 15 shackles and 215 feet of anchor chains. The chains, he explained, were disconnected as a result of the impact when the tug and barge ran into the bridge. The cost of the repairs will be transferred to the owners of the tug, the General Manager announced on Tuesday. At around 12.50 on Monday morning, a tug and barge crashed into the bridge, resulting in extensive damage. The tug, a Panamanian vessel, apparently drifted from Grove/Diamond on the East Bank Demerara and its crew belatedly issued a distress call. The resulting damage caused a disruption to the normal follow of vehicular and marine traffic across the river forcing thousands of commuters to make use of speedboats as an alternative to get to work and school. An investigation is underway and the Maritime Administration Department is to determine the events that led to the crash. (Stabroek News)