May_BVC

20 21 OPENING LINES A ll of the primary roads in the US Virgin Islands will be completely rebuilt to US Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway standards, Governor Kenneth Mapp announced recently. For the first time in history, a full assessment of the territory’s 1,273-mile public road system was conducted in order to determine conditions after the storms and the estimated cost of a comprehensive rebuilding and repair program. After completion of the assessment, the De- partment of Public Works, with the assistance of the US Army Corps of Engineers and Witt O’Brien’s, concluded it will cost $1.2 billion to bring all US Virgin Islands’ public roads up to DOT standards. “In three to five years our road system will be essentially unrecognizable from what it is today,” Mapp said. “I am committed to working to modernize our roads and thorough- fares so that potholes and other road issues become experiences of the past.” As of today, $530 million has been approved and will be invested into the first phase of con- struction of modern roads and highways across USVI ROAD SYSTEM TO BE FULLY MODERNIZED, $530 MILLION ALLOCATED TO FIRST PHASE all four islands. The new roads will be upgraded with proper founda- tions and drainage and outfitted with American Disabilities Act certified sidewalks, reflectors, traffic signals, and crosswalks. They will also accom- modate water, sewage, and power lines, fiber optic cables,andwill be suitable for various other communication systems.Newstreet signs will be lit at night with the Department of Tourism’s logo of the moko jumbie at the center. In addition to reconstructing the road systems, $10 million from the CDBG will be set aside to remove all the dumpsters off the roads so that refuse centers can be constructed.This massive undertaking will require a number of additional engineers and project managers. “We are essentially launching a new Highway Division at Public Works and we will need a lot more staff,” the Governor said. Mapp added that it was important to note that some roads would re- ceive temporary fixes until they can be fully reconstructed and that therewill bemanyareas where PublicWorks will authorize asphalt overlays until perma- nent construction can begin.