Massive road paving project underway

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Bahamix workers getting started on a 10-day roadwork project carried out on Farrington Road yesterday.

Motorists and road-side vendors impacted 

 

Nassau motorists experienced bumper to bumper traffic yesterday as the massive road paving project began on Farrington Road yesterday.

The thoroughfare is being paved from the six-legged roundabout to Boyd Road. Work on the extensive 2,600 foot road way will continue for another nine days from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Despite the potential traffic nightmares for motorists, many say the repairs are long overdue.

“So why they take so long,” said one frustrated driver. “You can’t do this in the day like this… wait [until] school out. Then we [will] know what is what.”

East and west bound lane closures will be implemented at various times for the duration of the work, officials have said.

Official bulletins from the Ministry of Works state that all east bound traffic will be detoured to University Drive during the lane closures for milling and paving.

During west bound lane milling and paving works, the ministry said, all westbound traffic will be detoured to West Bay Street.

Additionally, as a result of west bound lane closures, all south-west bound traffic will be detoured to University Drive at Ajax Street, the ministry said.

All connecting side roads, according to the ministry, along the length of Farrington Road, will be closed while provisions for access will be made for residents and emergency vehicles where necessary.

The last massive roadworks was undertaken back in 2011 under the former Ingraham administration and cost taxpayers nearly $100 million in cost over runs. The project was also blamed for several business closures.

One of the recommendations submitted to parliament was to conduct road repairs at night and on the weekend, however, Bahamix Senior Foreman, Donald Rigby said, that a night shift is set to come on stream very soon to help alleviate the issue of all day roadwork.

Reno Cartwright, a road-side vendor said, better timing and coordination is needed.

“But it’s not really a problem because a new road is more business so it’s better for us,” Cartwright said.

Meanwhile officials said if the weather permits, the roadwork on Farrington Road will be completed by this weekend. Paving is expected to continue across New Providence over the next few months.

About Genea Noel

Genea Noel is the news director and weeknight TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. She began working at Eyewitness News in 2018 as the newsroom editor and was subsequently promoted during her tenure. As a household name who graces the screens of thousands of Bahamian homes each night, Genea has racked up an impressive five Bahamas Press Club awards, including “The Cyril Stevenson Award for Outstanding Political Journalism” (2020), “Best Studio Live Producer” (2020) and “Best Newscast” (2018).