Gov’t injects $17B to upgrade Main Access Roads

The Ministry of Public Works has injected $17 billion to rehabilitate 19 main access roads in Regions Four and Five.

Six contracts were signed on Saturday at the ministry’s headquarters while the first 13 were awarded two weeks prior.

During the signing, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill underscored the importance of these crucial thoroughfares to the daily lives of commuters, urging contractors to expedite the projects within its deadline.

“These are not projects that we can lime on. These are projects I will be paying keen attention to,” the minister strongly affirmed.

The timeline for each project varies between five months to 14 months.

Minister Edghill also emphasised the government’s commitment to transparency and community involvement, mandating contractors to brief residents before commencing work.

He reiterated that these upgrades aim to enhance connectivity and improve the quality of life for residents.

Meanwhile, these major rehabilitation works aim to ease traffic congestion and link communities to improve accessibility.

Works will be executed on Diamond Alternative Access Road which spans from Avenue A Diamond to First Avenue Diamond to connect the East Bank Public Road to First Avenue Diamond.

Similarly, Third Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme which serves as a main bypass linking Diamond and Grove will be rehabilitated and widened with asphaltic concrete on the western section.

Utilities will also be relocated to facilitate the work.

First Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme will also be upgraded to facilitate the increase of vehicular traffic, which is slowly becoming evident.

The upgrade will feature the construction of a steel-concrete composite bridge and pedestrian walkway.

Back street Diamond which serves as a connector to interconnected streets within the Diamond Housing Scheme and a connector to Grove will also be upgraded to facilitate increased vehicular traffic.

Works include widening the carriageway, the construction of reinforced concrete drains, and the construction of a 2-meter-wide pedestrian walkway.

Additionally, rehabilitation works will continue on Homestretch Avenue to combat the rapid increase in vehicular traffic as part of the final phase of the project.

Phase one of the project was completed in August 2022.

Princess Street Cemetery to St. Stephens and St. Stephens to High Street will be overhauled. This will see some 730 meters of road being upgraded to asphaltic concrete.

The scope of work entails the laying of Stratex HSR Geotextile and NX 850 GEO-grid materials to reinforce the structure for ensured longevity.

The pavements will be widened, and a shallow concrete retaining wall as well as a pedestrian walkway will be constructed.

In addition, Sussex Street- West of Cemetery Road, St. Stephens Street to Saffon Street is being upgraded to facilitate a car parking area on both sides of the pavement.

A pedestrian walkway and five no- -concrete bridges to steel girder composite bridges are being constructed.

Similar Geo-tech and Geo-grid materials are being used.

Sussex Street, Cemetery Road to Mandela Avenue is being upgraded to function as an alternate route following the influx of traffic on the recently completed Cemetery Road.

This project includes the construction of a concrete drain at the Northern side of the road, a concrete retaining wall, and concrete box culverts.

Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt, Well Road to Blacka Canal which serve as connectors to the Ogle to Eccles four-lane highway are being reconstructed to form a new four-lane highway.

Moreover, works will continue on the Conversation Tree Bypass and the Western section of the Conversation Tree Bypass.

Works will also continue on Thomas Lands.

Meanwhile, De Hoop Main Access Road, Mahaica Region Five spanning approximately 17 kilometres is being upgraded to combat the expansion of agricultural activities and the opening of an asphaltic concrete plant in the area.

Traffic signs and thermoplastic road markings will be installed on all 19 road projects.