Two more months for probe of Mosquito Creek road collapse

AT least two more months may be needed for investigations into the collapse of a northbound carriageway along Mosquito Creek.

Acting prime minister Colm Imbert made this comment in the House of Representatives on Monday.

Responding to a question from Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, Imbert said, "I am fairly confident that it will be completed within the next two months or so."

Imbert said investigations were ongoing, and advised Moonilal to submit his question in a different way to get a more detailed response.

The section of the carriageway collapsed in January.

Speaking in the Senate on May 17, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said investigations should be completed by May 25.

At that time, Sinanan said, "On March 14, 2022, NIDCO (National Infrastructure Development Company) geo-technical consultant Earth Investigation Systems Ltd (EISL) commenced geotechnical investigations along the northbound carriageway of the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension to Pt Fortin at the Mosquito Creek." He gave technical details of the methodology and said laboratory tests of the samples were still ongoing.

Later in the sitting, Sinanan said the ministry's programme for repairing cable barriers on the highways was ongoing.

From 2020 to now, four contracts to repair highway cable barriers have been completed at a cost of $3,116,605.79. This covered 90.1 km along the Uriah Butler and Solomon Hochoy Highways from north to south Trinidad.

Sinanan also said the ministry is addressing reports of theft of cable barriers. He said material from the barriers could be stolen "by individuals who seem to be profiting from them."