By Orville Williams
The drainage issues that affect residents and motorists on certain major roadways during periods of heavy rainfall, are likely to be a thing of the past, with work being done to alleviate the impact.
As part of the road rehabilitation project, headwalls will be installed at several crossroad culverts, to reduce the possibility of land erosion and subsequent flooding. These headwalls are comprised of steel-reinforced bags of concrete, stacked to resemble a “wall”. Upon water contact, the bags will disintegrate, leaving the concrete structure to serve as a barrier against the flow of water.
Public Relations Officer for the roadwork contractor – Bahamas Hot Mix (BHM), Vickindra Simon, explained how the structures will function in improving the drainage situation.
“The headwalls that we have constructed so far, the main purpose is drainage. The bags that we have procured, they are biodegradable, so after a certain time when the rain falls, the bags would wither away and you would be left with a concrete structure. That way, you will have better security on the pipes that are implemented,” she said.
Simon shared that residents who would have been heavily affected by flooding can now “breathe a sigh of relief”, as the adjustments should significantly reduce the impact on their properties.
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