00hrs to 18

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By Leonard GildarieWith more than 10,000 vehicles entering the country every year, traffic congestionAn overhead view of the Diamond intersection, East Bank Demerara.on key arteries leading to Georgetown continues to be a major bugbear.This congestion has been contributing heavily to delays for workers at peak travel times. In the morning, this is between 07:00hrs and 09:00hrs and in the evening from 16:00hrs to 18:30hrs.The problem is very pronounced at the intersection of East Bank Demerara corridor and Diamond and Golden Grove Housing Schemes.The East Bank Demerara road is among the busiest in the country, providing linkages to not only the villages along the way, but to the Demerara Harbour Bridge which leads to the West Demerara and Essequibo; to Linden, and by extension to the hinterlands.The Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the country’s main port, is located at Timehri, further compounding the situation.Over the years, there have been talks of a number of projects to reduce the traffic situation including new roads, shifting bus parks and even better parking.No diagonal parking is allowed on Regent and Robb Streets.The car and bus parks in the Stabroek area have become organized with posts in place to ensure orderliness.Sand trucks have been removed from Lombard Street, a main road that leadsOne of the proposed designs of the overhead vehicle structure for the Diamond intersection that Government is hoping will reduce the traffic congestion.from the East Bank of Demerara to the city.On the East Bank Demerara, there are several initiatives underway which Government believes will reduce the congestion.Financing has been secured for a new road to link East Bank to East Coast via Ogle. That roadway is expected to take traffic from Timehri along the back of the housing schemes to East Coast Demerara.A new Demerara Harbour Bridge is very likely with consecutive administrations saying that it remains a top priority.Government says it is currently sifting through proposals and hopefully to a tender within a year.A major bottleneck at Bagotstown/Peters Hall area has been troubling transportation officials from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.According to Sunil Ganesh, an engineer with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, a number of initiatives are also in the works for the East Bank Demerara corridor.At the Diamond intersection, it is estimated that about 5,000 vehicles come out of the new housing schemes on workdays between 06:30hrs and 09:00hrs.Following a study of the bottleneck there, one of the more likely scenarios in short and medium term is the construction of an overhead vehicle flyover.This elevated exit from the Diamond access road will allow vehicles to flow smoothly from scheme area to East Bank Demerara public road without traffic having to stop.It will easily allow vehicles to turn into the scheme also.Already, using its local expertise and resources, the Ministry has started to prepare designs.A proposal will, within the next few months, be presented to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for possible financing.Commuters have been complaining about the situation during peak hours.The previous Government had been toying with the idea of another access road into Diamond but this never materialized.Further up East Demerara, there is also a plan to increase safety for pedestrians with the construction of overhead walkways, Ganesh said.One will be erected at the eastern side of the Demerara Harbour Bridge to allow pedestrians to cross from the southern to northern side and back.Another one is planned for Eccles where the traffic lights are. This will allow pedestrians to cross from the eastern and western carriageways.Still another one is likely to be built at Houston, where the secondary school is located. That area is critical as there is a road nearby leading to the Gafoors mall, among other business places there.