Improvements to road network forging ahead — Rymer
Works Minister Kye Rymer has said improvements to the road network on the territory’s four main islands are already underway with several other projects set to commence this year.
Addressing the House of Assembly on Thursday, Rymer said these infrastructural upgrades will come in the form of repairing retaining walls, implementing drainage solutions, and conducting road rehabilitation works.
He said some projects will be funded through the $65 million Recovery & Rehabilitation Loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
These projects will take place in areas such as the Fish Bay Road, Great Mountain Road, Hope Hill, Little Dix Bay, Ballast Bay, Long Trench and Lower Fort Hill Road.
“These projects are now at the tender stage,” Rymer said.
He informed the House of Assembly that assessments and designs have been completed and the projects listed are available through a National Competitive Bidding process.
Government-funded projects
The minister said apart from the CDB loan funding, there are additional road works the government will be funding. These road works will be conducted on Upper Fort Hill, Windy Hill, Joe’s Hill, Pockwood Pond, Zion Hill, Cooten Bay and George’s Northside.
“These projects are in various stages of design and are being developed through the Public Works Department. It is anticipated that these locally funded projects will come to commence starting in the second quarter of 2020,” Rymer said.
He said the other areas such as the Fort Burt area to McNamara junction, Parham Town to Paraquita Bay, Little Apple Bay, Myers towards Soldier Hill, and the Windy Hill Road on Tortola, among others areas are scheduled to be addressed with an additional methodology.
He explained that the procedure involves properly preparing the areas and using tack oil as a sealant as a longer-lasting remedy until funding is sourced to properly engineer and rebuild these roads.
Other road works nearly complete
In the meantime, the Works Minister said several road works are nearing completion.
He said the Sheppard’s Hill Road in Greenland “is 90 percent completed, [and] additional designs are needed to complete a small section of this road for its completion”.
The Hannah Hill Road restoration project is also underway and should be completed in the ‘coming weeks’, Rymer added.
As for the upper McNamara bypass road, Rymer said the rehabilitation and drainage solution work in that area is completed and opened for vehicular traffic.
Other islands
On Jost Van Dyke, Rymer said the road is being undermined in two areas, one on the eastern main road and the other on the southern side of the island.
“I am pleased to report that of the two areas on the eastern end, one has already started. The other areas are on the heels of mobilization whereas the contracts are already signed,” he said.
Additionally, designs for the backroad and bridge are completed and are being costed.
“With regards to the Doghole Road, while designs and costing are completed, there are some land encroachment matters that are under discussions with landowners and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour,” he added.
On Virgin Gorda, the minister reported that the Nail Bay Road rehabilitation and drainage solution project is “well advanced with the damaged section already been restored. Once again, the road is fully opened, and motorists are asked to adhere to all traffic signs.”
Leverick Bay and Gun Creek projects
Furthermore, the bypass road from Leverick Bay to Gun Greek is being designed, and it is expected to be “a 2020 project,” Rymer said further.
On the island of Anegada, Minister Rymer said several secondary roads would receive attention.
He said the designs and costing are complete on the projects. The minister continued: “With regards to the continuation of the main road, works to the Cow Wreck area, I will be giving an update at a later date. However, some remedial works will be done to bring some relief to the residents and visitors of the Sister Island.”
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
The state of our roads are a DISGRACE get them fixed, vehicle repairs cost a lot.
That stretch of road there Dr George pet shop and commerce house need fixing bad.
The VI road network has been poorly designed, constructed and maintained. Is the opportunity being taken to properly designed and constructed the network. Road segments completed, would a programmatic programme be put in place for period inspection and preventative maintenance, crack sealing, seal coating, overlaying and reconstructing?
Was a pavement condition inspection (PCI) conducted to determine the condition? The proper fix for a failed road is reconstruction; any other work is just a band aid. Is proper drainage an integral part of the current construction? Poor drainage is major cause of premature road failure? Is the sharp horizontal curves and steep vertical curves going to be corrected? Will the road cross section be large enough to facilitate the largest wheel load that will use the road, given that all territory roads are used by light vehicles, large trucks and heavy construction equipment? Are there any current or longer-term plan(s) to avoid and replace the steep roads in the hilly terrain with circular design patterns?
WE ALSO NEED PROPER LIGHTING ALONG OUR ROADWAYS
Please put a maintenance plan in place begorr these roads are completed. It is obvious that there is non righ now.
@Maintenance, indeed a preventative maintenance plan should be rolled. Assuming that a road is properly designed and constructed with proper cross section and drainage and to get the design life from a road, a strong and effective preventative programme must be developed and executed. This programme should include a) crack sealing, b)seal coating and b) overlaying. For example, for a 30-year road, the typical maintenance is follows: a. crack sealing-any time, b. seal coating—-7 year mark, c. overlay—15 year mark, d. 22-year mark—another seal coat and 30-year mark—reconstruction. And periodically a pavement condition index (PCI) needs to be conducted.