Better roads promised soon; concrete for potholes

Amid complaints from motorists about the deplorable condition of roads in the territory, Works Minister, Mark Vanterpool, said residents will start to see better roads in about two months.

He said government will be filling the pothole-riddled thoroughfares with concrete and other material as a temporary fix.

The minister explained that the temporary solution is being employed because the territory’s two asphalt plants were knocked out of commission by last month’s hurricanes.

Vanterpool, however, noted that the condition of roads is worsening because of rainfall that continues to affect the already-battered British Virgin Islands.

“The water is really making greater damages — huge potholes… We have to keep filling them until we can get the asphalt [plants] back.”

“They are trying to get at least one of them back up so we’re temporarily going to be filling the holes … We did some at Fort Burt that has even since then deteriorated. Last night we were to be in the East End/Long Look area doing some. We did some down in Road Town on the main road in the night,” Vanterpool added.

The works minister, however, added that government fully intends to resume major road projects.

“We’re gonna have to get more funding, which we’re working on, to fix the roads. We have roads in Carrot Bay that are in bad conditions. We have roads all over the country [that are bad]. So, we want to see how quickly we can at least rehabilitate them for better driving and then continue the programme of major road works to improve our roads throughout the territory. So that is en train.”

“We are discussing funding. We are discussing engineering, and works that have to be done. But [within] the next month or two we want to get the roads improved a bit to allow the motorists to travel better,” Vanterpool said.