The rumble strips installed along the West Demerara Highway are not actually deteriorating due to vehicular impact, says the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s Senior Project Engineer, Kester Hinds. In fact, it is the residents of the area who have been digging out these safety mechanisms.
Rumble strips are a series of raised strips that are placed strategically on a road or along its edge, with the purpose of changing the noise a vehicle’s tyres make. This warns the driver of speed restrictions, or to indicate where the edge of the road is located. Ultimately, this mechanism’s sole purpose is to maintain safety along highways, or major thoroughfares.
“Persons are digging them out. Well you know, as Guyanese, we don’t adopt to change easily. So once we think there is something there we think is impeding…And some residents are complaining that it is disruptive, in the sense that it creates some noise that they are not accustomed to.” Hinds told the Guyana Standard.
This precautionary measure was implemented as part of the US$46.8M West Demerara Road Expansion Project, which began back in January 2015. The project is being executed via a joint-venture between BK International, and Jamaican firm, Surrey Paving and Aggregate Company Limited.
It is still unclear what is the cost of installing these strips. However, they can be seen engraved in various locations within the asphaltic infrastructure, stretching from Vreed-en-Hoop in the west, to Hydronie in the east.
Hinds has reminded that the penalties for damaging public property is severe. The official is calling on the general public to report to the police or the Ministry of Public Infrastructure all cases involving destruction of public properties.
