Government signs contract for first phase of much anticipated
Roseau Road Reinstatement Project
Phase I of the Roseau Road Reinstatement Project will involve the construction of two roads and a bridge. One of these roads, the Link Road, which will be 565 metres long, will connect the EC Loblack Bridge to Rose Street in Goodwill, via the northern bank of the Roseau River. It will consist of a 7m dual carriageway with allowance for some parking and 1.5 m wide sidewalks on both sides of the road as far as is possible.
The other road, the Windsor Park Road will be a two-lane road, 557 metres long and 6m wide and will have 1.5 m wide sidewalks on both sides. It will commence at the intersection of Bath Road and River Street, progressing eastwards along the southern bank of the Roseau River terminating at the intersection of Valley Road and Elmshall Road near the Bath Estate Bridge.
According to Project Engineer in the Ministry of Public Works, Mr. Emile Lancelot, the new bridge will link Bath Road to the new road leading to Rose Street in Goodwill. It will be of reinforced concrete type, 50 m long with 7.3 m wide dual carriageway along with 1.5 m wide sidewalks on both sides.
The works include the installation of a storm drain system which consist of covered drains and storm sewer pipes beneath the 75 mm thick asphaltic concrete road surface, traffic signs and pavement markings and landscaping.
The Roseau Road Reinstatement Project will achieve the following objectives:
Ø Development of a new road classification;
Ø Improved traffic management to reduce congestion and related delays, as well as pollution (air and noise) levels;
Ø Improve road structure and surfaces to facilitate smooth and comfortable vehicular traffic flow in the capital city;
Ø Make driving in the city less stressful;
Ø Assessment of the urban development potential/land use planning in correlation with the importance of planning , parking challenges, touristic and institutional development and heritage conservation.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister for Public Works, Hon. Ambrose George said the new bridge would alleviate some of the traffic congestion within the city of Roseau.
“The new bridge will provide an alternative to and from the city and eliminate the tunnel effect caused by the single northern exit which presently obtains. One of the significant and rewarding effects will be the alternate route provided for accessing Goodwill, Bath Estate and the Roseau Valley.”
Mr. George added that the Windsor Park Stadium which is presently being used for major sporting and cultural events will be effectively complemented by the construction of the bridge and the ‘Windsor Park road’. The road and the bridge will provide easy access to and from the facility and provide an easier means of evacuation in emergencies or at the end of activities.
The Roseau Road Reinstatement Project has been in the planning stages for many years. Through the implementation of this project over many phases, Government hopes to transform the city of Roseau into the Premier capital city of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
“The development of a better road network, better arrangement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic and reduced traffic congestion, will help promote urban development and enhance business activities in Roseau, while breathing new life into the historic city,” Hon. George concluded.
The project which is jointly funded by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and the Government of Dominica is expected to cost in the region of $20.6 million ECD and is scheduled to be completed in 12 months. The project is expected to commence in the second week in October, 2008.
The signing ceremony took place at the Financial Centre in Roseau recently. In attendance at the event were Minister for Public Works and Infrastructural Development, Hon. Ambrose George, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works, Mr. Nicholas Bruno, Chief Technical Officer, Mr. Kendell Johnson, Project Engineer, Mr. Emile Lancelot and Mr. S.S Joshi representing the contractor, Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi & Sons.
