By Carlena Knight
Consultations are now ongoing with various groups over the design and implementation of the second phase of the road rehabilitation project.
The project will see four major roads – Sir Sydney Walling Highway inclusive of Pares Main road, Old Parham Road, Anchorage Road and Valley Road north being upgraded.
While works are already underway on the Sir Sydney Walling Highway, Community Liaison Officer Ann Harewood George, during a press briefing with members of the media yesterday, revealed that designs of the roads, be it the sidewalk and other amenities are being discussed with schools, disabled members and even vendors to ensure that the overall design will be as inclusive as possible.
“We will be consulting with various groups including persons with disabilities, we have already started that consultation and will be looking to address their particular needs for instance to add sidewalks where there are none to cater for persons in wheelchairs. We will also take into consideration those who are visually impaired as well. That is very important to have these discussions happen with the contractors to inform the design. Different features to accommodate the special needs of marginalised groups will be taken into consideration,” George said.
George admitted that it has been difficult to host some of these consultations due to the Covid pandemic, but she noted that various mediums and strategies are being used to get them involved.
Regarding the additional features, Bernard Lewis, one of the contractors associated with CO Williams Construction Ltd., confirmed that just like in the first phase bus sheds, signs and other amenities will be included.
He clarified however that where some culverts are concerned, there may not be a new design due to certain limitations.
“Some of the improvements probably cannot be done. Some curvatures you might want to make them less severe but it means buying land and that could be a problem so you have to fall back from that and find another way of dealing with the project, probably using speed limit signs, speed bumps to slow down the traffic that type of thing. So, where it would have been a better design to acquire some land and change the alignment of the road, because of budget limitations, sometimes we have to stick with the existing lay out and find other ways of controlling the traffic,” Lewis mentioned.
The project is estimated to cost EC$63,089,34.15.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda is also about to roll out another multi-million-dollar road infrastructure development project that will see the rehabilitation of two corridors; Royal Gardens Road and Herberts Main Road, measuring approximately 3.32km and 3.34km respectively.
The Government has been successful in securing financing towards the cost of the project under the Natural Disaster Management – Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (Hurricane Irma) Loan.
The Project Implementation Management Unit (PIMU) through the Ministry of Works will facilitate the road rehabilitation initiative.
The Ministry of Works is now inviting sealed bids from eligible bidders for construction works that will include construction of reinforced concrete drains, earthen drains and circular pipe culverts.
Excavation for pavement foundation, compacted sub base layers, compacted base layers, asphalt concrete surfacing, road signage and markings and ancillary works will also form part of the scope of works.
The bid process will attract firms for contracting groups experienced as prime contractors in the construction of at least two (2) assignments of a nature, scope and complexity comparable to the proposed project activity between January 1st 2015 and the established bid document submission deadline.
In order for bidders who must submit application documents in English to comply, works quoted should be at least 80 percent complete.
The submission deadline for roadwork on Herberts Main Road and Royal Gardens Road is 19th May, 2021.
Further information regarding bid application procedures is available in the local press and online on the Government of Antigua and Barbuda website www.ab.gov.ag and on the PIMU Facebook page or via email: [email protected].