$178M Moruga Road upgrade begins

After years of protests for better road conditions by residents of Moruga, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan announced, yesterday, that there would be major repair and upgrade to the Moruga Road.

The Moruga Road Rehabilitation Project will cost an estimated $178 million and is expected to be completed by 2019. Work is expected to start as early as Monday.

Delivering the feature address at the official sod-turning ceremony for the project, Sinanan said the project was “well overdue.”

The ceremony took place at the office of the MP for Moruga/Tableland Dr Lovell Francis at Petit Café Road, Princes Town.

Sinanan said, “Once completed, this improved artery will increase capacity, decrease journey times and meet the vision of Government to see Moruga come into its own; proving far more economically viable than it stands today.”

The project extends from Petit Café, on the outskirts of Princes Town, in the north, to Marac Village, in the south, at about 35 km of roadway. Three of the main contractors are Carib Asphalt Pavers Limited, General Earth Movers Limited and Lutchmeesingh’s Transport Company Ltd.

Also at the ceremony, programme director of the Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency (PURE) Unit, Hayden Phillip, said Moruga Road had long been identified as a key access road to the southern coast of Trinidad.

He recalled that PURE commenced planning and execution of the project in June when a team met with local consultants and undertook investigations.

The project is divided into three phases. Phase one includes the reinforcement of a concrete and steel bridge system at Moreau Road, Marac, as well as a concrete box at La Lune Road. In phase two, the team will engage in slope stabilisation measures and in the third phase, all remaining works will be executed.

“The PURE team remains confident of completing this Moruga Road project within budget and within schedule,” Phillip assured.

Also at the ceremony were Rural Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein and Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Denis Moses.