Now that neighbouring Guyana has a thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=58727173), the glorious Republic of Suriname cannot stay behind!

Surinamese roads • Surinaamse wegen

The most important road link in the country is the East-West Link (Oost-Westverbinding). It was constructed in the 1960s and badly damaged (the Eastern part) in the Surinamese Guerilla War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suriname_Guerrilla_War) (Binnenlandse Oorlog) of the 1980s-1990s.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/East-West_Link.png

Northern East-West Link
Southern East-West Link

The Eastern section between Paramaribo (capital) and Albina (border with French Guiana) is currently being repaved with funds from the EU, the French Development Agency and the Inter-American Development Bank.

The tender for the section between Meerzorg (across the Suriname river in Paramaribo) and Tamanredjo (km 0 - 20) will be put out in 2011.

The section between Tamanredjo and Moengo (km 20 - 95) is currently being repaved by Dutch company MNO Vervat.

The section between Moengo and Albina (km 95 - 138) will be repaved by the Chinese company Dalian.

On the Western part of the East West line, the road was recently expanded from Nieuw Nickerie to South Drain (http://www.nickerie.net/News2009/2009-12-17%20-%20nnet%20-Weg%20South%20Drain%20na%2029%20maanden%20klaar.htm), where it connects to the (official) ferry service between Suriname and Guyana. This was also funded by the European Union.

The Southern East-West Link is mostly dirt road, and is in a bad shape. A jeep trail connecting the Northern East West Link to the Southern one (between South Drain and Apoera) was to be constructed, but is now on hold due to lack of funds.

The North-South Link is paved until Brokopondo, and dirt road further into the country. There are plans for a road to Brazil via the Vier Gebroeders Mountain range.

The Surinamese president between 1996 and 2000, Jules Wijdenbosch, was quite fond of bridges. He liked them so much that he named one after himself. Sadly though, he did not have enough money to pay for them, so he simply printed extra money for it. It sent the Surinamese guilder into a staggering inflation. The Surinamese guilder was replaced by the Surinamese dollar in 2004.

Jules Wijdenboschbrug (Google maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=5.805556,-55.1625&spn=0.01,0.01&t=h&q=5.805556,-55.1625))

Near the capital city of Paramaribo. Built in 2000.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Jules_Wijdenboschbrug_uit_vliegtuig.jpg/900px-Jules_Wijdenboschbrug_uit_vliegtuig.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Jules_Wijdenbosch_bridge.JPG/900px-Jules_Wijdenbosch_bridge.JPG

Coppenamebrug (Google maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=5.771944,-55.895833&spn=0.01,0.01&t=h&q=5.771944,-55.895833))

Built in 1999 spanning the Coppename River.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4902095339_820e4cc97d_b.jpg

There is another (bailey) bridge spanning the Coppename River on the Southern East-West Link near Witagron:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Bailey-Coppename_River.jpg/450px-Bailey-Coppename_River.jpg

Some smaller bridges

Bridge near Groot Henar (Google maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=5.866667,-56.866667&spn=0.1,0.1&t=h&q=5.866667,-56.866667))

Spanning the Nickerie river.

http://i51.tinypic.com/2mfywpi.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2ut6p2h.jpg

Sign days "Only vehicles with rubber tires allowed".

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Heading_to_Nickerie.jpg/900px-Heading_to_Nickerie.jpg

This bailey bridge (with rail track on the left) spans the Nickerie River on the Southern East-West Link:

http://i54.tinypic.com/rawxtk.jpg

Bridge near Groningen (Google maps (http://maps.google.nl/maps?om=1&hl=nl&t=k&ie=UTF8&ll=5.828468,-55.466366&spn=0.006617,0.011362&z=17))

Spanning the Saramacca river

http://i52.tinypic.com/2mrcrj6.jpg

Further downstream, another bridge spanning the Saramacca river is currently being built, but that's one of the biggest infrastructural farces of Suriname at the moment (http://www.dbsuriname.com/archief/nat/2009/mrt09/05-03-09/Nat_Brug%20Hamburg-Uitkijk%20vertoont%20scheuringen.asp), with the bridge having improper foundations etc.

Bridge near Stolkertsijver (Google maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=5.75,-54.75&spn=0.1,0.1&t=h&q=5.75,-54.75))

Spanning the Commewijne river.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Br%C3%BCckeStolkertsijver.jpeg/1024px-Br%C3%BCckeStolkertsijver.jpeg

Some IIRSA projects in Suriname:

This is the project which will finally link Suriname with Guyana (http://www.iirsa.org/bancomedios/documentos%20pdf/aic_ficha_proyecto_28_eng.pdf) (and through Guyana with Venezuela and Brazil) via a bridge near Apoera spanning the Courantyne River (there is currently only a ferry service near South Drain, see above):

http://i55.tinypic.com/71766q.jpg

The project was not updated in 2009 though, and my guess is that a bridge near Apoera will only become profitable when finally the West Suriname project will be executed (increasingly likely in the years to come). From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Suriname_Plan):

The West Suriname Plan is an economic development plan for the Western part of Suriname. As originally conceived, it consists among others of the mining of bauxite in the Bakhuis Mountains, the building of a hydroelectric power plant on the Kabalebo River, and the construction of a harbour and an aluminium smelter at Apoera. The plan was the brainchild of former Surinamese Minister of Development Frank Essed.

In 1963, Operation Grasshopper found bauxite deposits in the Bakhuis Mountains. Two years later, extensive explorations were conducted by Suralco and Billiton. After a commercial joint venture established by Reynolds Surinam Mines and Grasshopper Aluminium Company (Grassalco) failed to take off, the Surinamese government devised the West Suriname Plan to develop the region by the government.

False start

The Dutch government agreed to help execute the plan as part of the development subsidies to be given after Suriname would gain independence in 1975. Between 1976 and 1978, a railroad track was constructed between Apoera and the Bakhuis Mountains by Morrison-Knudsen Co.. After the 1980 Surinamese coup d'état Dutch development funds were frozen, and the project was cancelled. Low bauxite market prices in the 1980s also led to doubts about the economic feasibility of the project.

New plans

In the late 1990s, the West Suriname Plan was resurrected. On 6 January 2003, BHP Billiton, Suralco, and the Surinamese government signed two memoranda of understanding to investigate the possibility of developing bauxite mining in West Suriname. Talks between the Surinamese government and BHP Billiton stranded in October 2008. Nevertheless, the Surinamese government continues to eager for the development Western Suriname, and posit that interest in the Bakhuis Mountains exploration has been expressed by companies in Switzerland and China.

The aforementioned rehabilitation of the road between Paramaribo and Albina is also an IIRSA project (http://www.iirsa.org/bancomedios/documentos%20pdf/aic_ficha_proyecto_29_eng.pdf). A feasibility study on a bridge spanning the Marowijne river to French Guiana is also being performed. Which is all the more useful now a bridge between Brazil and French Guiana will be opened in March 2011 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=582308)...

http://i56.tinypic.com/33a5jjn.jpg

A 1.5 year old news on the Suriname-French Guiana bridge:

Bridge between Suriname and French Guyana becomes more substantial
Published on Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 at 3:42 AM

PARAMARIBO, 17 jun – The idea to build a bridge spanning the Marowijne River becomes ever more substantial. The European Union allocates money for a feasibility study. This is what was agreed upon on the first Amazonia Conference with French Guyana's two neighbouring countries.

French Guyana and the Brazilian states of Macapa, Para and Amazonas want to cooperate more closely. The feasibility study for a bridge will be one of the first common projects for this group. The EU allocates more than 13 million dollars, the largest part of the money needed. “It is of course aid that is offered. One would be stupid not to accept,” says Surinamese minister Ricardo van Ravenswaay of Planning & Development Cooperation.

Though not a direct priority for Suriname, the project comes in handy. Passenger traffic with French Guyana keeps increasing. “Every your we hand out 30.000-40.000 visas, so the need for a better connection is definately there”, according to Van Ravenswaay. In the meantime the ferry connection is improved. Money is allocated to that project as well.

Source: http://www.waterkant.net/suriname/2009/06/17/brug-suriname-frans-guyana-krijgt-vastere-vorm/

Suriname has only half a million people, and is quite poor (Nominal GDP per capita is $ 5.675), thus not a large tax base to support roads in a harsh environment like the jungles of Suriname.

Suriname and Guyana have the poorest road networks in South America.

Funny, that in former Netherland colony they drive on left side of the road, the only in South America.

All our former colonies do, Indonesia drives on the left as well :D. We kept the colonies that drive on the right side of the road (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius, Saba).

Suriname has only half a million people, and is quite poor (Nominal GDP per capita is $ 5.675), thus not a large tax base to support roads in a harsh environment like the jungles of Suriname.

Suriname and Guyana have the poorest road networks in South America.

Suriname is not significantly poorer than the rest of South America. The main reason for the lack of infrastructure is that most people live in the coastal areas, and more than half in the capital city of Paramaribo. So there is simply no need for a more extensive network.

Funny, that in former Netherland colony they drive on left side of the road, the only in South America.

Have they ever thought to swap to the right side?

But why? Neighbouring Guyana also drives on the left, and that's they only country they probably will have a road connection with in the near future (the Marowijne river near Albina is quite wide, so I don't see a bridge being built in the near future to French Guiana).

Nothing beats a dusty drive on a laterite road:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1282/530220066_956b8b013e_z.jpg?zz=1

Watch out! ChrisZwolle and his gang approaching!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3366/4573385772_d3c7f89948_b.jpg

Does Suriname follow yellow diamond signage or red triangle? Having a look at other South American countries they seem to follow the yellow diamond but one of the pictures posted above seems to indicate that it follows the red triangle European signage.

They use European red triangle signage:

http://i53.tinypic.com/2e3pm6h.png

Brazil & Suriname have a border crossing ???

No !!!

All our former colonies do, Indonesia drives on the left as well :D. We kept the colonies that drive on the right side of the road (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius, Saba).

What the heck, I didn't know that. How did that happen?

Brazil & Suriname have a border crossing ???

No

But between Guyana and Brazil ther is one (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takutu_River_Bridge), with a bridge to swap sides of traffic:

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/21839270.jpg

^^ with Brazilian standard :colgate:

Yes, but there is no good connection between Guyana and Suriname either. Going by road to Brazil from Suriname involves taking the ferry at South Drain (near Nieuw Nickerie), then again take a ferry in New Amsterdam (town in Guyana), drive on to Georgetown, and then take the road to Brazil.

This would change of course if the IIRSA-proposed road between Linden and Orealla would be built in Guyana, and the bridge between Orealla and Apoera in Suriname (see post #3).

What the heck, I didn't know that. How did that happen?

Complex story I guess, but as always it involves occupation by the Brits :D

Oh not them again :D

Yes, but there is no good connection between Guyana and Suriname either. Going by road to Brazil from Suriname involves taking the ferry at South Drain (near Nieuw Nickerie), then again take a ferry in New Amsterdam (town in Guyana), drive on to Georgetown, and then take the road to Brazil.

This would change of course if the IIRSA-proposed road between Linden and Orealla would be built in Guyana, and the bridge between Orealla and Apoera in Suriname (see post #3).

It seems the latest plans are to build a bridge near South Drain, where now the (official) ferry connection with Guyana is. The road to South Drain was recently paved.

Crossing at this point (location in Google Maps (http://maps.google.nl/maps?ll=5.755543,-57.135601&spn=0.113921,0.181789&t=h&z=13)) means that the bridge span would be at least 2 kilometres (from the South Drain shore to Long Island). That will be the longest span in Suriname. The Jules Wijdenbosch bridge spans 1 kilometre and the Coppename bridge 1.5 kilometre.

It also seems there has been quite some progress with the project:

Voorbereiding bouw brug over Corantijnrivier verloopt voorspoedig

Monday 10 January 2011

PARAMARIBO – Volgens minister Ramon Abrahams van Openbare Werken (OW), zal de financiering van de brug over de Corantijnrivier voor het grootste deel door Suriname opgebracht worden. Dit is zo, omdat de Corantijnrivier volledig behoort tot het Surinaams grondgebied.
Ballast Nedam, de bouwer van de bruggen over de Surinamerivier en de Coppenamerivier, is al bezig met de voorbereidingsstudie en zal vermoedelijk, indien beide landen hierover overeenstemming bereiken, aangewezen worden ook deze brug te bouwen.

Voor Suriname is Langa eiland, Nickerie (weg naar South Drain) de meeste geschikte plaats om te beginnen. De Guyanese regering zal, als zij meegaat, een weg van ongeveer 10 kilometers moeten aanleggen om de plek te bereiken waar de brug op haar oever zal eindigen.

Google translate into English (http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http://www.gfcnieuws.com/%3Fp%3D41805)

Ballast Nedam op werkbezoek voor bouw brug over Corantijnrivier

Monday 17 January 2011

PARAMARIBO – Een delegatie van Ballast Nedam komt volgend week op bezoek om besprekingen te voeren met de minister van Openbare Werken, Ramon Abrahams. Na de besprekingen, vertrekt er een delegatie van OW en de functionarissen van Ballast Nedam gelijk naar Nickerie om de plaats waar de brug komt te staan exact te bepalen.

Volgens minister Abrahams komt de brug niet ver te staan van South Drain. De gasten zullen alle opties en het kosten plaatje doornemen met de technische deskundigen van de overheid, in het bijzonder het ministerie van OW. De bezoekers arriveren op 22 januari 2011 in ons land.

Google translate into English (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=nl&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http://www.gfcnieuws.com/%3Fp%3D42933)

Further downstream, another bridge spanning the Saramacca river is currently being built, but that's one of the biggest infrastructural farces of Suriname at the moment (http://www.dbsuriname.com/archief/nat/2009/mrt09/05-03-09/Nat_Brug%20Hamburg-Uitkijk%20vertoont%20scheuringen.asp), with the bridge having improper foundations etc.

The soap regarding the Uitkijkbrug spanning the Saramacca River is finally over. It was opened by Vice President Ameerali on 25 June 2011:

http://blogs.surinamazing.com/wp-content/uploads/Uitkijkbrug-IMG_5028-1024.jpg
Bridge in March of this year.

http://www.krindenki.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DSC03082.jpg
Opening.

http://www.krindenki.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DSC030892.jpg
First people to cross.

East-West Link: one road, three contractors

Gepubliceerd op : 31 juli 2011 - 10:18 am | door Redactie Suriname

The East-West Link is one of the most important routes in Suriname. But not only that. It is also a damaged route. Surinamese, Chinese, and Dutch contractors now work on the rehabilitation of the road.

Door: Hannah Aukes

Met een pick-up is het al niet te harden om over de hobbelige stukken Oost-Westverbinding in Suriname te rijden, laat staan met een truck vol vracht. Voor Berry van Engelenburg, van het Nederlandse aannemersbedrijf MNO Vervat, is de weg dagelijkse kost. "Ik ken de hobbels inmiddels op m’n duimpje."

Vanaf Tamanredjo tot Moengo werkt het Nederlandse aannemersbedrijf aan 75 kilometer wegreconstructie- en verbreding. Op de ene plek vermorzelen werkmannen de oude weg. ‘Doorfrezen’ in het bouwjargon. Een kilometer verderop gieten oranje MNO-machines het gloeiend hete asfalt voor een glanzend nieuw wegdek.

Gaten
Het zijn niet alleen Nederlanders die aan de weg bouwen. Ook de Chinezen en Surinamers zelf werken sinds 2009 aan de vernieuwing van het 140 kilometer asfalt. En dat is nodig, want het oude asfalt dateert uit de zestiger jaren en is zienderogen aan vernieuwing toe. Gebrek aan onderhoud en de Binnenlandse oorlog hebben de weg flink beschadigd. Scheuren, gaten en onverwachte kuilen maken het auto’s lastig in vaart richting Frans-Guyana af te reizen.

Daar moeten de verschillende aannemers verandering in brengen. In 2013 moet de klus geklaard zijn. Dat doen ze vanuit gelijke basis: de contracten zijn hetzelfde. De kwaliteitseisen dus ook. De invulling daarvan is anders, vertelt Van Engelenburg.

Rommelig
Op het zicht is er tot en met Tamanredjo, het gedeelte dat het Surinaamse Baitali voor haar rekening heeft genomen, nog niet veel gebeurd. Van Engelenburg noemt het "rommelig, veel personeel en weinig activiteit: twee stappen vooruit, en drie stappen terug."

De Chinezen, wegwerkers van het bedrijf Dalian, pakken het professioneler aan, aldus de kwaliteitsmanager. Alhoewel hij soms wel vraagtekens zet bij de veiligheidsmaatregelen. "Zo zag ik ze bijvoorbeeld op de Afobakaweg wegbelijning plaatsen met een verfkarretje midden op weg, zonder enige wegafzetting of waarschuwingsborden. Levensgevaarlijk als je het mij vraagt."

http://cdn.radionetherlands.nl/data/files/images/image/article/2011/07/rsz_img_2919.jpg
Weg in aanbouw
Foto: Hannah Aukes

Slechte contracten
Directeur Civiel Technische Werken van het ministerie van Openbare Werken, Roland King wijst ook op de overeenkomst tussen de Nederlandse, Chinese en Surinaamse aannemers. Qua productie is hij over alle partijen in gelijke mate ontevreden: "Dalian, Baitali en dus ook MNO, hebben al 40 % betaald gekregen, maar nog maar 13 % geleverd. Maar ik neem het hen niet kwalijk, het ligt aan de slechte contracten die in het verleden zijn opgesteld. Er is een boel mis in dit land, dat moeten we nu gaan herstellen.”

Bouwresultaten
Engelenburg herkent het beeld van gebrekkige kwaliteitseisen. Hij geeft het als reden waarom bouwresultaten in Suriname de afgelopen jaren vaak te wensen overlaten. Toch ziet hij een kentering. “Ik geloof wel dat het gestaag beter gaat met de bouwsector in Suriname. De regering werkt serieus aan het opstellen van nieuwe kwaliteitseisen en hoe dit te toetsen”, voegt de MNO-er daar aan toe. "En partijen die in de markt willen blijven, moeten daar nu ook aan geloven. Anders komen ze niet meer mee."

Source (http://www.rnw.nl/suriname/article/oost-west-verbinding-%C3%A9%C3%A9n-weg-drie-aannemers) (Google translate into English (http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=nl&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rnw.nl%2Fsuriname%2Farticle%2Foost-west-verbinding-%25C3%25A9%25C3%25A9n-weg-drie-aannemers&act=url))

I like your updates. Why does Suriname not have a railroad infrastructure (west to east)? This could give there economy a significant boost.

There is almost no infrastructure in Suriname. Half of the population lives in Paramaribo. Apart from a Paramaribo suburb, the third largest city has only 15,000 inhabitants.

There is almost no infrastructure in Suriname. Half of the population lives in Paramaribo. Apart from a Paramaribo suburb, the third largest city has only 15,000 inhabitants.

From what I understand I thought that Nickerie (western-suriname) was an emerging prosperous area in Suriname.

If you can connect that area with the capital than maybe you can think of a connection with the capital and French Guyana but that link would be intended for trade only in the first place..

http://www.waterkant.net/suriname/2011/12/07/volgend-jaar-start-aanleg-snelweg-naar-zanderij/

According to a Surinamese newspaper, construction of the Paramaribo - Zanderij Airport motorway (4-lane) will begin next year. It will likely substitute the existing two-lane JFK Highway.

Hey, asphalt!!!
http://i41.tinypic.com/nwhbwy.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/n1ypkw.jpg

http://i39.tinypic.com/nl8mdj.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/jiezbs.jpg

http://i41.tinypic.com/a3f1hl.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/dy6k94.jpg

There are still some bauxite roads.

http://i39.tinypic.com/2uo72gx.jpg

http://i41.tinypic.com/34rss9w.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/zw0u2d.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/2uesor8.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/34o3v4p.jpg

Road lay-out and warning signs seems to be Dutch design. Is this true?

Road signs are indeed based on the Dutch model. Road lay-out is rarely similar to dutch roads.

Situated in the northwestern part of Suriname, Nickerie.

http://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u455/Godius/HPIM3686-2011-11-27at16-27-19.jpg

But why? Neighbouring Guyana also drives on the left, and that's they only country they probably will have a road connection with in the near future (the Marowijne river near Albina is quite wide, so I don't see a bridge being built in the near future to French Guiana).

Is there a lot of traffic between Suriname and French Guyana using that ferry? And there are no problems driving your French or Surinamese registered vehicle in both countries?