Four months to complete $26M highway repairs

The National Maintenance Training and Security Company Limited (MTS) has been retained as project managers for phases 1A and 1B of the Claude Noel Highway rehabilitation programme, which is expected to cost some $26 million.

So said Infrastructure Secretary Kwesi Des Vignes, who said the highway rehabilitation project was one of the Division’s key projects for this fiscal year.

Des Vignes told reporters at last Wednesday’s post Executive Council media briefing at the Administrative Complex in Calder Hall, that the repair works will take four months.

"The portion of the highway that we are looking at is the Rockly Vale traffic lights to the Orange Hill traffic lights. It is no secret that the asphalt failure there is very bad, so the residents of Tobago can expect that within four months the highway, that portion of the highway will be completed in terms of rehabilitation of the foundation of the highway,” he said.

He said the work will involve geotechnical tests and there would be some inconvenience to motorists during the duration of the project. our power to limit the amount of inconvenience that residents do suffer and limit the amount of traffic congestion,” he said.

Des Vignes said the Smithfield connector road was another major project for the Division.

“The Smithfield connector road or bypass will benefit the Scarborough RC School. This school is nearing completion and we are looking at how we would be easing congestion. The Smithfield bypass or Smithfield connector road is part of a network that we want to do in the area where we plan to connect Sangster’s Hill to Smithfield and Mt Marie as well,” he said, reporting that the engineering design is almost complete and “we are ready to start construction work within six weeks…we are looking to use labour from in house.” Studley Park steps up production

Des Vignes also reported on increased production at the Studley Park quarry, noting 18,000 metric tonnes of aggregate, 90 metric tonnes of hot mix and 193 cubic metres of concrete as estimated figures as a result of increased operation hours at the quarry.

“So that we’re able to really and truly push the level of production to meet the demand locally and start stockpiling so that we’ll be able to meet the demand that will be coming from Trinidad as well,” he said.

Des Vignes said increased production has been achieved with a staff of 56, almost one third of the number of workers at the quarry before November, when the quarry’s management company, Studley Park Enterprise Limited, took over.

He aaid distribution of aggregate in the first quarter of 2018 has increased by some 380 per cent.