Guyana commissions $262 million Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge

Guyana on Sunday evening commissioned the Chinese-funded US$262 million Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, with President Irfaan Ali describing it as the dawn of a new era of transformation for the country.

Ali announced that the new east-west river corridor would bear the name of Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who first became president in 1999 after then-head of state Janet Jagan stepped down for health reasons.

“Today, on behalf of a grateful people, I’m pleased to dedicate this bridge in the name of Bharrat Jagdeo. From this day forward, it shall be called the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, because great men deserve recognition, because visionaries deserve legacies,” President Ali said.

He praised Jagdeo as “a man that has dedicated his life to the equipment of this country, a man who has been an advisor, an architect and an anchor in our development today,” adding that he wished to “pay tribute to a giant of our local politics and economy.”

The ceremony, held amid much pomp and fanfare, marked a major milestone in Guyana’s infrastructure drive. Ali said the new bridge will ease daily travel for thousands of commuters, ending long delays caused by the previous floating bridge, while spurring economic development on both sides of the Demerara River.

“Infrastructure is also a statement; it is a signal to the world that a nation is ready,” Ali said. “This bridge signals that Guyana is ready, ready to industrialise, ready to modernise, and ready to claim its space in the 21st century of the world’s economy.”

The new structure connects Regions Three and Four and will operate 24 hours a day. It replaces the decades-old floating bridge and features four lanes. Ali said the bridge was financed through “the deliberate reinvestment of our national resources,” noting that oil revenues were being used to create infrastructure that benefits all Guyanese.

“This bridge is proof that our resources are not squandered but reinvested into the future of our country,” he said.

China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Yang Yang, said the project represents the deepening partnership between Guyana and China under the Belt and Road Initiative.

“Undoubtedly, this project is not only a bridge of steel and stone, but also a bridge of friendship between China and Guyana, a milestone in the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation we are building together,” Yang said.

Constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, the bridge is designed to last 100 years. It spans 2,798 meters (1.7 miles) and features a 50-meter fixed high-span that allows uninterrupted passage for vessels up to the Handymax class.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said the project adhered to international standards, including AASHTO, ASTM, and ISO benchmarks. Beneath the structure are 658 piles driven deep into the riverbed, with the main towers anchored by 76 piles each—measuring nearly eight feet in diameter and driven 400 feet deep.

“The New Demerara River Bridge is a modern, four-lane, high-span, cable-stayed structure designed to accommodate both vehicular and pedestrian traffic with the highest standards of safety and efficiency,” Edghill said.

Construction began on December 22, 2022, marking just under three years to completion.