by Xu Yongzheng, Meng Yifei
GEORGETOWN, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- On the first Sunday of October, thousands of Guyanese gathered along the banks of the Demerara River to witness a historic moment -- the opening of the new Demerara River Bridge, officially named the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation International (CRCCI).
As the sun set, the crowns atop the four bridge towers -- inspired by elements on Guyana's national emblem -- glowed in brilliant colors, their reflections shimmering across the water. More than 10,000 residents from both banks turned out to celebrate the long-awaited milestone.
"We won't need to get up at four in the morning anymore," said Masie Barclay, a resident of Georgetown who crosses the river daily for work. Her weekday commute between the two banks often took more than three hours due to heavy congestion on the old floating bridge.
Built in 1978 with a 10-year design life, the old bridge has long outlived its limits. Drivers often waited more than an hour to cross, and each night, a movable span at the bridge's midpoint opened for passing ships, halting road traffic entirely.
"When I heard about the new bridge, I thought it was a wonderful idea," Barclay said. "It is such a relief for us."
Known as "the land of many waters," Guyana is crisscrossed by rivers and swamps. Here, bridges are more than concrete and steel -- they connect lives and dreams.
"With the commissioning of the new Demerara River Crossing, this generation, and generations yet to come, are being handed a gift of reclaimed time from generations past, and with it, the chance to savor life's precious moments in the company of those we cherish most," local media outlet Guyana Chronicle wrote in an editorial on Sunday.
"This is not just about the concrete," said Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill in an interview with Xinhua, emphasizing that the new crossing will cut travel time between new residential communities and downtown Georgetown to about 30 minutes, transforming daily life.
"It is about the opportunities that they bring to Guyana," he added, explaining that by linking to the national road network, the bridge opens broad prospects for trade, industry and agriculture.
Stretching about 2.9 km, the new Demerara River Bridge is the largest and most technically complex transport infrastructure project in Guyana's history. It took nearly a year from geological surveys to the laying of the first foundation pile, said the CRCCI project team.
The construction faced tough challenges. Local fine sand couldn't meet the strength requirements for high-grade concrete, while importing materials was costly. Drawing on the ancient Chinese hydraulic concept of "controlling sand by constraining water," chief engineer Ning Guangwei devised a method to isolate and utilize locally available medium sand, overcoming the material bottleneck.
Built in a tropical river delta characterized by soft soil, strong currents, high humidity and frequent rain, the project demanded precision and endurance. "The most interesting thing about this job is that it pushes you to the limit," said crane operator Rawlelex Taylor. "I get to do a lot of things within my own soil, and I've achieved a lot since working with this company over the past two years."
Along the Demerara River, lush mangroves thrive where scarlet ibises feed and four-eyed fish leap from the water. To minimize the project's ecological footprint, the CRCCI team crossed the mangrove belt while preserving root systems, recycled waste oil, and controlled noise, dust and light pollution, said project manager Wang Zhiliang.
"Three years ago, it was an imagination. Now it's reality," said resident Romel Sookram at the opening ceremony. "Major kudos to the workers -- every single one of them did a good job." ■
