Third lane in Road Town will ready for use today
The third lane being established on Waterfront Drive is expected to be ready for use today, Tuesday, December 29, so it may fulfil its purpose of alleviating the traffic congestion usually seen in Road Town from the western end of Tortola.
Workers were observed finalising works to the project on Monday.
Director of the Public Works Department, Jeremy Hodge, said in an interview with BVI News they’re now completing the asphalt work to fill the area that was widened.
“[Afterwards], we are going to mark out the road to incorporate the third lane heading towards the Admin [Drive traffic lights] … It’s basically just to upgrade the traffic because part of the problem is that we were having a lot of traffic eastbound heading into town, especially at busier hours,” Hodge explained.
“So the complete project was to help to create a second lane so that people who are eastbound coming from the west would be able to have two lanes as you start to approach the Craft Alive area heading to the lights. So that would allow more capacity to reduce the back up of traffic heading from the west,” he added.
New slope design explained
The road improvements also include a new slope design — which is located just after Craft Alive — for motorists heading towards the westerly.
Hodge said this new design became part of the plan after it was observed that motorists were stopping in the area on a consistent basis, therefore impeding traffic and creating a major congestion problem.
“Why we did that slope — people heading westbound, sometimes they want to pull off to run in to buy some okras or something from someone. You notice there was always somebody stopping there to do something. So, while it’s not an area to basically park, it’s an area that gives persons allowance to pull off whether you get to pick up someone from off the sidewalk or you’re going to reach out your hand to receive a little bag of okras that you want to buy instead of stopping in the main road to do that,” he explained.
New road markings to assist motorists
The Public Works director further said the new road markings will allow for motorists to have a smooth transition into the new road requirements.
He also said other measures will be taken to ensure motorists fully comply with the new traffic arrangements and to ensure they utilise the new design in the appropriate manner to gain the intended results.
He said: “It will be clearly defined and marked on the road. They may need cones to at least help guide motorists in the interim and I assume that the Ministry will be publishing something via social media to display how the area should be used. But really and truly with the markers on the road, it is going to be clear. It’s going to have arrows on the road and it’s going to have a white and yellow paint to show where the lanes are divided.”
The project began on July 7 and was undertaken by Accurate Construction and Jason Fonseca. The initial duration for the project was approximated to last about 10 weeks.
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Can you please resurface the terrible roads around the place? I hope you did Main Street as well. Thanks
What is needed is an emergency lane from water front to the round about , put it in the middle and make the road wider from pasty lake building for the use of the ambulance ,police ,fire only instead of having them go around by the bank
So this lane was made for a bag of okra not taxi for the ferry?
Maybe Mr. Kye can focus on the lawless scooters next.
Please do something about persons that stop to drop off/pick up persons at the taxi stand. Why cant they utilize the parking lot next to the taxi stand? Also the congestion from persons parking around the ferry terminal needs addressing.
You are sending more traffic to one badly designed roundabout! What will happen? Total carnage in the area of RTW Flemming Street/Scatos/VQ area! WE need real engineers and not this cut and past f**kry, along with the traffic police to be present and do their d**n job.
If they can get the roads paved smoothly I will most def be impressed, other than that these road paving guys need to go kick some blinkin rocks. All that equipment and the roads are still bumpy?? Father send help please.
so y’all label the road with yellow/white lines to check if the third lane could fit. then redo the road (ah dead)
I like the third lane road , but I need the whole bvi road to do over please it killing my suspension mr kye
The current government and road managers and maintenance of this country should be fired. Anyone who who performs poorly in any other industry would be long fired.
The roads are a total disgrace. Government does not care that they are unfit for driving and are destroying vehicles and personal investments.
Vehicle is less than a month old and the front end and suspensions are already shot. This is untenable and ridiculous.
The roads can be maintained better that they are. The government and public works simply sit in office and collect salary. They do not care.
Fish Bay, brandywine bay and fat hogs bay need some serious attention. The roads there are horrible.