Widening work on the Grand Fond road is now at an advanced stage with the promise of a much more comfortable road for motorists and pedestrians alike upon the project’s completion.
Work on that road project commenced in April of this year, following heavy rains last November which resulted in significant road edge failure to what used to be a very narrow stretch of road.
Parliamentary Representative for the Grand Fond Constituency Hon. Ivor Stephenson, Public Works Minister Hon. Rayburn Blackmoore and a representative from Offshore Civil and Marine incorporated, the contracting local company engaged on the project paid a visit to the project site on Friday June 15, 2012.
Hon. Ivor Stephenson is pleased with the extent of work done so far and is convinced that when the project is complete the road will be much safer for road users. Hon. Stephenson admits that the road has been a hindrance for several years.
“People who have been going to Grand Fond would know that this is a very narrow strip of road. It would basically scare people, it was not safe and it was very possible to have accidents”.
The parliamentary representative says the project is being done in three critical areas.
“In the “vava” area and below the “tomiel” to” kabwit “area we had massive excavation works being done”.
Public Works Minister Hon. Rayburn Blackmoore says so far over five hundred thousand dollars have been spent on this important road project.
“Immediately after we had the effects of the rain last year we spent one hundred and fifty thousand dollars (E.C $150,000.00) to do initial excavation work. We are currently spending over four hundred thousand dollars (E.C $400,000.00) to do this aspect of the project”.
The Minister says the next phase of the project will include the construction of storm drains and resurfacing works.
“The intention in terms of the quantum of work to be done going forward is to have three hundred meters of road work and three hundred meters of concrete drains. We are going to have slipper drains and storm drains” he added.
The Minister says these road improvement will be a significant improvement to what previously obtained.
“The intention is to have two- way traffic throughout the length of the road”.
The rehabilitation of the Grand Fond road is a further manifestation of Government’s commitment to improve the country’s road network by 2015.