Eight of the 16 thoroughfares associated with the New Providence Road Improvement Project (NPRIP) have been turned over to the government, Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis announced yesterday. The roads that have been turned over are corridors 1A (Baillou Hill Road); 4 and 5 (Bethel Avenue between Tonique Williams Darling Highway, John F. Kennedy Drive and West Bay Street); 12 (East Street); 17 (Abundant Life Road); 18 (West Bay Street); 23 (Robinson Road) and 24 (Thompson Boulevard).
"You will see the contractor's staff working along the various road corridors, replacing damaged works and cleaning out the drainage system and the like," Davis said yesterday shortly before the media was taken on a tour of the new roads. "Under the contract we have a one-year defects notification/liability period. The contractor will maintain a presence on New Providence during this period to address the defects list identified to date and any other defects that may arise during the defects period." Already the ministry has identified Baillou Hill Road to be a problematic area.
Davis said the design of that road is not feasible for emergency or public transportation. He added that the contractors Jose Cartellone Construcciones Civiles did not create the design. "The contractors built in accordance with the specifications, according to the plan. And it's not just the emergency vehicles, there is no leeway for jitneys. "There are a lot of challenges on the Baillou Hill Road design in and of itself, which again we will be revisiting. Once the handover is complete, we will revisit those and find ways to correct them." Several motorists interviewed by The Nassau Guardian expressed mixed views over the announcement.
An eastern New Providence resident praised the improvements but said there is still a lot of congestion and confusion on several roads and navigation is problematic. "It's been a very good improvement and people are supposed to be a little patient anyway," said Marco Bravetti as he drove along the Solider Round roundabout. Motorist Peter Lockhart and motorcyclist Wesley Neely shared similar views that while traffic congestion is frustrating the roads have improved. Davis added that the Ministry of Works and Urban Development will continue the required assessment of accommodation works on all corridors necessary to tie in the newly-completed roads to adjacent properties.
These minor works will be undertaken between February 2013 and January 2014. Additionally, Davis said the ministry's review will also include all financial matters. Asked whether a commission of inquiry will still be launched to investigate management of the project under the former adminstration, Davis said that will be up to the Cabinet, however, he added "you will see a happy ending to this process". Davis also noted that the government has allocated $15 million to lend assistance to businesses negatively impacted by the road improvement project. The funds will be added to the overall cost of the project.
As previously reported, the road project is nearly $100 million over the original budget. "When I took responsibility for the project, I made it very clear that the government was upset wit the cost, the design and the implementation of the project," Davis said. "We did not oppose the improvement of infrastructure but felt that major infrastructural projects should always be carried out with the contract of protecting the interest of citizens first. We did not feel that this was at all the focus before." He confirmed that the total price of the project is still within the $206 million that was forecasted following the inclusion of the cost overruns. The project, which has dragged on for nearly four years, is expected to be fully turned over to the government by January 31, 2013.
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