Mahaica-Rosignol road, bridges projects rolling
Stabroek News
May 2, 2003
Work on the US$22M Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Mahaica to Rosignol road project has begun with contractor Dipcon undertaking work on a stretch of new bypass on the eastern bank of the Mahaicony river.
The bridge project, scheduled to see the removal and relocation of both the Mahaica and Mahaicony bridges using pre-stressed concrete spans is also expected to begin simultaneously so as to complement the road work.
Both contractors are said to be mobilising and are expected to commence work as soon as they iron out some logistical problems related to the location of plants.
Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Anthony Xavier, accompanied by Local Government Minister Harripersaud Nokta, on Monday toured some of the sites likely to be occupied by the contractors and observed work on the stretch of road near the Mahaicony River.
At the Mahaicony site a Dipcon official showed the ministers steps being taken to protect GT&T's fibre optic cables laid underground.
There is the likelihood that the cables would have to be moved because of the road diversion.
During the ministers' visit they were shown the sites that the Trinidadian road company had been offered by the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) to locate its asphalt plant along with one that the company had shown interest in using at Rosignol.
However the authority which has control for the waterfront area is not in favour of Dipcon occupying the Rosignol facility and has proposed sites at Fort Wellington or nearer its Onverwagt base.
Dipcon is eager to obtain a suitable site close to Rosignol to set up the asphalt plant to allow it to tackle the road works from both Mahaica and Rosignol.
It plans to use asphalt from its plant at Coldingen on the Lower East Coast to begin paving from the Mahaica end.
However initial attempts at securing a suitable site have resulted in hitches leading to Ministers Xavier and Nokta visiting the Region 5 (Mahaica/West Berbice) community on Monday to try and sort it out.
They looked at the Rosignol location and other proposed sites but a decision is to be made after further negotiations between the company and the MMA/ADA.
Meanwhile the German company hired for the bridges has already begun putting things in place for its operations on rehabilitating bridges along the route and has rented space at the MMA Onverwagt site.
It is expected to start its work soon with the removal of the old railway bridge across the Mahaicony Creek to another site approximately 100 yards away.
Work on the roadway is expected to take up to 18 months with S&C Lavalin performing the duty of supervisory consultants. The company, Figg, is the consultant on the bridges project. (Oscar P. Clarke)
