US$55 million project for East Coast roads kicks off

Participants at the kick-off meeting. Dr. Christmas is 3rd from the left.

The pre-engineering and design phases of a 55 US million dollar project for the rehabilitation of 43.3 kilometres of road on the East coast of Dominica have started.

The sections of road to be rehabilitated are from the Pond Casse roundabout to the Bois Diable junction, the Bois Diable junction to Castle Bruce, Castle Bruce to Hatten Garden and Castle Bruce to Petite Soufriere.

It was announced on Monday that Spanish contractor,`TYPSA, would be undertaking the designs for the project under the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP).

Liaison Officer in the Ministry of Health and the Environment, Dr. Martin Christmas, said that the designs will be framed with mitigation and adaptation measures to include a combination of slope stabilization interventions, road realignments and pavement construction.

He said that an initial assessment of that area done by the Ministry of Public Works and Ports indicated serious vulnerabilities due to extreme flooding from heavy rainfall, severe landslides, rock falls and slope and edge failures.

“As such we have ensured that the approved standards for the road design will meet the highest standard of resilience and should ensure that once completed the roads should have a life of at least 30 years, a structural life of 30 years through road pavement and about 50 years for drainage and bring structures,” he said.

The designs for the road will cost in excess of US$ 1 million dollars.

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20 Comments

  1. Concerned citizen
    March 28, 2018

    Yet another project for the east coast road. How many times must contracts be signed and funds be allocated for the east coast road? On Wednesday 13th September 2017, a ‘loan financed contract’ ( 1.6 million dollars) was signed with three local contractors for the rehabilitation of this same east coast road. The ‘good’ news was reported on DNO on Thursday 14th September. Did Maria blow that contract away?

  2. What?
    March 15, 2018

    Whatever happened to the 45 million that was going to be spent to rehabilitate the East coast rd that was reported by DNO back some time in 2012 or 2013? That road to this day has not been rehabilitated.
    Some of you might remember, the then minister in charge stated they were going to use 25 million of that money for actual road rehab, but never said where the other 20 million was going, and the road remains without rehabilitation. In Dominica, seeing is believing, until then, B.S!

    ADMIN: We were unable to locate such an article in 2012 or 2013 but there is a similar reference to rehabilitating the east coast road in this article from 2015: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/general/budget-speech-of-prime-minister-roosevelt-skerrit/

  3. Vernon
    March 14, 2018

    This is a USD 55 Million project and there was no public tendering?
    There are a few questions that must be asked and answered?
    1. Are we getting value for money?
    2. How was that company selected?
    3. What was selection criteria used?
    4. Who is funding the project?

    Is this the company that was hand-picked for the contract?
    https://www.typsa.com/en/capabilities/regional-areas/spain-portugal/

    I hope the Dominica People can get answers to these questions and much more.!!

    • Steve McTavish
      March 20, 2018

      Why don’t you read the news before postin’? Better read first instead of speaking in the name of all people here

  4. KID ON THE BLOCK
    March 13, 2018

    Just an observation. Road rehabilitation from Pond Casse Round About to Bois Diable
    Bois Diable to Castle Bruce
    Castle Bruce to Hatten Garden
    Castle Bruce to Soufriere…. All well and good
    My concern is … What about the Pond Casse Round About to Rosalie to La Plaine Road? Is this under some other funding?

  5. winston warrington
    March 13, 2018

    @dee I live in a modern world and need to inform you that you have rainstorms that occur with frequency, earthbtremors are recorded on a daily basis in Dominica and so the landscape changes. Satellite photos and Google do not show logistics pertaining to a project such as utilities, material delivery and many other aspects which will determine the final cost of a job. That is part of the evaluation process. I worked for a company that had a workforce of 70,000 . When you have acquired my experience you will not be as arrogant.

  6. Real Truth
    March 13, 2018

    Let me remind everybody that no person, company, or money can tame Dominica,…..Tall is her body, no man has conquered her yet,…..she is the nature isle! The wise will understand !

  7. Roger Burnett
    March 13, 2018

    In recent announcements on road funding, I see nothing about Antrim. But then again, as the state of the road was not brought about by Eric , Maria or the climate in general, I suppose it’s not eligible for current ” climate resilience” funding.

    If only there was a fund to compensate against human blunders!

  8. Hope
    March 13, 2018

    That is good news!

    • dee
      March 13, 2018

      The pre-engineering and design phases … have started .
      my negativity telling me to ask how many pre-enginerring and designs , how many assesments, costings , physibility studies have started for an international airport in Dominica ? I even did hear a somebody say once dey have the money to build it from a China gift, but Haylass , pie in the sky where pigs fly , so yes , I waiting .
      we all foolish sots , even believing .

      • John Jay
        March 13, 2018

        I suppose you Dee since this accident the then minister if PWD said spoken or said about the design and so forth and they the govt is coming back with another one.
        Dont be fooled election is around the corner so the are signing and continue to sign which nothing will move on.

      • Faceup
        March 14, 2018

        International airport at this time? Garson ou tow sort.

  9. DLP STRATEGIST
    March 13, 2018

    How come a Health official and not Public Works at the forefront. Or was he representing the PM? I know our PM is always present at everything

  10. Daybyday
    March 13, 2018

    Great. The west done nicely now finally the east

  11. More Fire!
    March 13, 2018

    So long, smdh, Come out in the river. Hurricane season soon……………………………….

  12. My little take
    March 13, 2018

    Sounds good but many questions to be answered. First, let’s not fool ourselves in believing that the said project is about to start or kickoff according to the title above. As we read the entire article what we see is a Spanish company has been contracted for designing it. As to how much goes to the Spanish company for the design is not disclosed and as to where that Spanish location from was also withheld. Red flags??? Now public works was able to do the initial assessment I guess to get the funds but they were not good enough for the design though the assessment should state what needs to be done and how much needed. Also the Spanish designer is responsible to guarantee the structure lasts for 30 years, though might not be the ones contracted to build it lol I wonder if that same method was used with the Chinese built west coast highway that is a national disaster and can’t withstand a little rain let alone a storm of any category

  13. Waiting for my backlash
    March 13, 2018

    Nothing is happening.

    • winston warrington
      March 13, 2018

      There is no doubt that Public Works does very lousy work. But my issue is with a company from Spain being paid a million dollars to design a project without first making a site visit. That is unheard of in the 21st Century.

      • dee
        March 13, 2018

        Winston
        what you talking about nah ?
        you forget it have phone , it have internet , it have all kine of modern technology
        to make away company know Dominica better than Dominicans living in Dominica Man you didn mem know de satalite in Spain can pick you up as you sliding dong de hill with a likkle stone falling behine you and they can even tell you if it going to hit you on your head ?
        Garcon you behine time, dat road project will be complete just before election and in time for Christmas celebrations .
        Let’s all rejoice

      • Steve McTavish
        March 20, 2018

        How did you manage to know so much about what that people has or hasn’t done?

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