The design phase of the Roseau and Portsmouth enhancement projects is expected to begin this week.
On Friday June 5th, the Government of Dominica signed a US $2.1m contract for the designs of the enhancement projects, with a Barbados-based company, NSG Management & Technical Services Limited. That company presented a conceptual design for Roseau to stakeholders last May.
The suggested design targeted several features of the capital including streets, the E.C Loblack Bridge, a cruise ship terminal and several others.
Minister for Public Works and Ports, Ian Pinard says this is part of Government’s development program that will help sustain the economic and social development of Roseau and Portsmouth.
“Under this program of development, the following are considered for design:
“In Roseau, the rehabilitation of all streets in the city including drainage, utility upgrades, road pavement, sidewalk, landscaping and street lighting; provision of adequate parking and facilities for public transport; rehabilitation of the West Bridge, and concept deigns for Cruise Ship Terminal development.”
He added, “In Portsmouth, a bypass road to the Cabrits.”
The Hon. Minister expounded on the need for improvements to the city of Roseau and Portsmouth.
He said, “The existing conditions of roads within the city of Roseau can be described as dilapidated and lack the capacity to carry out the intended functions; the pavement structure of the roads are currently insufficient to carry the loads of increasing volume of traffic. As a result, the road pavement has suffered significant base failure,” Hon. Pinard stated. “The net result has been the very high cost of associated road maintenance.
“With continued land development and the loss of green space, surface runoff associated with high rainfall has increased. The capacity of the existing drainage is inadequate to safely dispose of such high and fast-running discharge thus flooding occurs after heavy rains.
“The inadequacies of traffic management and provisions for parking coupled with large numbers of public buses and taxis pose a continued challenge for authorities with regard to safe and efficient traffic flows.”
Pedestrians are also taken into consideration.
According to Hon. Pinard, “Facilities for safe pedestrian travel within the city have been of concern for a long time. The existing condition of sidewalks has increased the risk of personal injury to pedestrians.”
The contract was signed by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works And Port, Kendall Johnson, and by Lisa Carrillo on behalf of NSG Management & Technical Services Limited.
The contract is expected to last for six months.