By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

“IT IS not our intention to do a Village Road,” officials with the Ministry of Works said last night in response to concerns from various Gladstone Road stakeholders yesterday about the estimated $30m Gladstone Road Improvement Project.

The comments were made yesterday evening at a town planning meeting for consultation with the public. The meeting was led by officials from the Ministry of Works and Utilities and was held at the National Training Agency on Gladstone Road.

The projected two-year road improvement project is set to allow for increased vehicle capacity through several changes: the widening of the road to allow for a dual carriageway, sidewalks, bus stops with bus shelters, street lighting, roadside drainage, the addition of five new roundabouts, the addition of a privacy wall near the Jubilee Gardens subdivision and a four feet wide emergency lane, which would also allow biking access.

Debbie Lightbourne, a resident of Jubilee Gardens subdivision, voiced concern about whether road works would be completed at night for the convenience of motorists.

“You were doing a pretty good job, when you did this roadworks presently, you were working after hours. It was very effective. Would you be using that same system because that was very effective,” she said.

To this, officials said they would keep her concerns in mind when in discussion with contractors.

Ron Hepburn, vice president and chief financial officer of Sysco Bahamas on Gladstone Road, mentioned concerns about ease of driving for big container carrying trucks travelling the road and needing to make wide turns.

“There is no easement from when you’re coming from Potter’s Cay to when you turn into Sysco Bahamas’ yard,” he said.

“I’m (also) asking if there is some way to bring the turning lane (near Fusion Superplex) further down so that persons don’t try to cut in front of you and cause accidents, which has happened,” he said.

Father Chester Burton, rector of St Ambrose Anglican Church, questioned whether the government would be replacing walls when and if they are taken down during road works.

Bishop Delton Fernander, president of the Bahamas Christian Council, also added that he is concerned about congestion on the road with the upcoming establishment of two new churches projected within the next two years.

Dion Munroe, assistant engineer of civil design at the Ministry of Works, responded to the concerns, adding that there is not yet a specific start date or source of funding.

“The utility corporations have to do some relocation works, so it won’t start before they start those relocation works. We don’t want to be tied down to a timeline but we’re looking to get that (road works) started before the end of this year. We want it to be started this year,” he said.

“We’re looking at either international funding or local funding, roughly between $25 (million) to $30m.”

Mr Munroe said he envisions that road works will begin from the Carmichael Road area, though discussions on this are still continuing.

He added that any infrastructure that is taken down for the road project will be restored to its previous state.

Yesterday, Minister of Works Alfred Sears added: “The African Export- Import Bank, we met with them during the Heads of Government Intersessional meeting of CARICOM. So that is the reason why Mr Munroe is uncertain in terms of a start date. Now that we have the input of stakeholders we will make a determination, that is the Ministry of Finance, in terms of sourcing the funds.”

Lambert Knowles, an engineering and technical consulting engineer for the road project, said: “It is not our intention to do a Village Road. There are going to be instances where you’re going to get an inconvenience, but the intention is to put two new lanes similar to the Airport Highway.”

The Village Road project has had numerous delays and caused frustration to the motoring public and businesses in the area.

Mr Sears added that another town planning meeting for consultation from the public would be held “from time to time” throughout the course of the next two years.