Motorists along the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) now have another 3.6 kilometres of roadway between Leonora and Stewartville, as work moves ahead on the alternative route to take pressure off the WCD corridor.

The Special Projects Unit (SPU) of the Ministry of Public Works completed the upgrade. It is one section of the wider Tuschen to Ruimzeight alternative route.

During an inspection in August, SPU Head Collin Gittens said the project aims to create another road, as well as improve traffic movement and cut travel time along the corridor.

The project is a joint effort between the Ministries of Public Works and Housing.

The SPU is upgrading and strengthening existing roads with asphalt, while the Ministry of Housing is building the new sections and the interconnecting bridges needed to join the route into one continuous corridor.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali inspected the alignment in May with a housing ministry team. At the time, he said the government was expanding and interconnecting existing roads from La Jalousie to Tuschen to ease traffic bottlenecks along the WCD.

The route runs through existing and expanding housing communities and requires construction and rehabilitation of about 36 bridges, some of which will be widened and upgraded. It complements the four-lane highway from Crane to Parika and is designed to divert light traffic from the West Demerara Public Road.

In June, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) invited bids for its portion of the works to be split into 13 lots with an eight-month construction period.

When completed, the alternative route will give motorists travelling between the West Bank and West Coast of Demerara another option, easing reliance on the West Coast road during peak hours.