Section Of Middle Road To Be Made Wider
The Public Works Ministry will undertake a $400,000 road widening and wall reinforcement scheme along the area of Middle Road, Southampton between the Waterlot Inn and Riviera Road, Minister of Public Works Michael Weeks said today [July 25].
Minister Weeks said: “This area of Middle Road, Southampton between the Waterlot Inn and Riviera Road has been a real source of concern for the Ministry of Public Works for a significant number of years. The road is so narrow in some points that larger vehicles such as buses cannot pass one another safely at the same time.
“In addition, there has also been concern about the stability of the wall at # 176 Middle Road, Southampton also known as Angel Steps.
“Following a successful negotiation with the Trustees of the Angel Steps property, the Ministry of Public Works is delighted to announce that the work has now started to remove one of Bermuda’s most hazardous bottlenecks in the road network – which will ultimately increase the safety for the public.
“The Angel steps scheme is about 250 feet in length and will result in the widening of the road to just over 21 feet wide. The overall cost of the scheme is approximately $400,000 and is scheduled for completion in December of this year of this barring any unforeseen issues.
“The Angel Steps scheme will comprise the construction of one reinforced concrete block wall of 148 feet in length and approximate height of 7 feet – coupled with one reinforced block wall just under 100 feet long and approximately 15 feet high. Both walls give the appearance that they are constructed out of Bermuda stone once finished. Initial work will concentrate on the smaller of the two walls.
“There will also be a narrow sidewalk between the wall and the road to increase pedestrian safety. At this time I would like to advise that before the Cup Match holiday, the utility companies will be carrying out service diversions to facilitate the construction of the works.
Minister Weeks continued: “Traffic lights will be used to manage traffic flow during the course of these works. These lights will initially be used during off peak hours. However, as the work progresses it might be necessary to keep the lights on for 24 hour periods for safety reasons.
“The Ministry is therefore requesting the motoring public exercise great caution while passing through this work site. The Ministry would also like to apologize to the motoring public for any inconvenience this work might have on their journey times. However, this short term inconvenience is for the long term good.
“The next area we are looking to widen is Middle Road Warwick between Whites Supermarket and Spicelands Riding School. This stretch of road has also been identified as a potential hazardous bottleneck due to the rock cut there.
“Other schemes currently under consideration include junction improvements at the foot of Flatts Hill, the Blackwatch Pass, the Middle Road/Montpelier Road Devonshire junction, and at the Lighthouse Hill/Middle Road Southampton junction.
“Before I conclude my remarks today I would like to give special thanks to the Trustees of Angel Steps property for agreeing to the current road widening works – which we are certain will augment the safety of the motoring public as well as pedestrians,” concluded Minister Weeks.
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“The overall cost of the scheme is approximately $400,000 and is scheduled for completion in December of this year of this barring any unforeseen issues.”
Lets see if this turns into one of the walls over across from Keith Hall Road that took years to complete!
Well done! I drive past here daily and it can be dangerous.
What did the trustees give? Dinky piece of land for a “small” sidewalk.
5 months to build!!! 4 people with a mixer would build it in a week,
but then it is W&E. All w&E projects, including paving the roads should
be privatised. In fact all of Government should be privatised.
I agree, why 5 months to complete? Oh I forgot, the mandatory breaks, tea times, standing up and talking, waving to people, another break!!! Give me a break!
I actually said ” 4 g$#$ (Bermudian slang for Portugese)
and a mixer could build it in a week.
How much is the trust getting paid for the tiny strip of land they are giving up for this project. I think it shouldn’t be much if anything due to the fact that their wall was falling apart and leaning into the road.
Let’s see how “on budget” this project will be??? Bet it would have been cheaper to have a private firm do this work??
why does it have to be a road widening scheme??lets go all the way back to Sir E.T. Richards time when Eastbroadway became a huge scheme.. we got rid of a bus terminal that actually took care of our buses and the crow lane bakery that was a good stop spot..things continue to change where is the improvement?..400,ooo thousand dollars!!! for a road widening scheme????I can almost hear the salivation slurps from the beneficiaries… we simply need to be more vigilant as we drive we are a 35k winding road 21 mile long island there will be atimes when we have to exercise extreme caution especially in landlocked areas , have you visited Pembroke lately, there is no room for widening thos ever so narrow roads without literally putting people out of their homes.. really whats the fuss??? oh yes $400.000.!!!!!for SCHEME!!!
I see Zane der. He must be doin’ it fa free!! Da banker’s der as vell.
Why is Scott Simmons there
Scott simply wants to be seen! After all, he IS running for Parliament. This exposure is free.
I don’t know why it should cost 400,000.00 to excavate, build a wall and side walk. Sounds WAAAAAAAAAAY over budget.
You forget you have to have all the suits that sit and talk about this and make themselves feel good for spending way too much of the tax payers money.
That is what takes it to $400K.
Oh, here’s another thought, don’t allow the MONSTER Z CLASS vehicles on the road and this wouldn’t be an issue. I just saved the BDA Government 400,000.00 Just a thought.
I guess you missed the part where it said buses can’t get through. I guess we shouldn’t have a public transportation system/buses then.
freeup-buses can get through, they just need to slow down and negotiate a tad..as they presently do, however I notice we hve bigger TRUCKS on the roads now, and our roads are basically narrow because of our size..speed bumps have been put in lots of areas to make people slow down, even on the main road(somerset). why spend 400thousand dollars!!!!on widening when we can just continue to slow down and show ccurteousness.. I notice bus drivers actually take time when coming around these roads to speak to one another!! We have to think of ways to save money in certain situations. this money could have been used for the Social Service dept. to assist BDIANs out of work!
Agree with your comment about 400,000.00 being put to better use. Road widening should be the last thing on our gov. to do list.
Freeup – Guess you missed the part about Angel Steps wall leaning into the road.
I didn’t and that had nothing to do with my reply to you but okay.
Have you ever been going up the hill and met a bus or heavy truck on your side of the road?
Scott is making new Friends ahead of the Leadership Challenge to get rid of Premier Cox
For all you peeps wondering about the cost, why don’t you go get a quote from 3 private firms. One Black, One White and One Portuguese.
But remember to ensure that you include BELCO, TELCO and CableVision, because there going to be some cost involved in moving poles and lines.
Rental of Traffic lights and or Police once road becomes single lane traffic.
Don’t forget Watlington Water works.
Lastly give a call to East End Asphalt for repayment of road.
For anyone that has built a retaining wall in Bermuda, they are quite expensive. Most in the region of $75,000K.
So maybe $400K is overkill, but i bet any of the 3 private companies you get will be pretty close. Bear in mind that these same companies you want to hire, will be doing this for a profit.
I agree that $400K seems about right for a project of this scale, factoring everything in. But how many folks have any confidence that the final tally, when all is said and done, will be anywhere close to that number?
I certainly don’t.
It will be done in a month tops.
I forgot to add, how much does slate go for these days?
Don’t forget to factor that in.
One of the most dangerous stretches of road and yet I dont’ recall there being any accidents there – not on the section of road between Whites and Spicelands. Maybe the wider roads are more dangerous.
should say, nor on the section of road between Whites and Spicelands!
And why does it need a wall that is 15 feet high?
All I can say is….. Tender?.. That job could be done at half the price. How much dis the demolition cost?
And special thanks to the tenants too.
Why is there a full press conference on site? Did they all want to sport their new duds? How much did all this political grandstanding cost us?
If government hadn’t allowed larger vehicles in the island, we wouldn’t have to do this, nor any other road widening. This is just part of the trickle down effect on the ill conceived easement on vehicle sizes.
I believe the cost was quoted using PLP Math. Since the article doesn’t do the “reality conversion”, here it is for your convenience:
$400K PLP quoted dollars = $800K – $1.2 mil actual BDA dollars
Where were all you people when the Airport, Westgate and Cedarbridge was built they were well over budget. Who builds a airport without bathrooms and a unfinished stadium that was built without bathrooms and so much overruns at the Cedarbrige and the Westgate so please stop complaining and have you drove or walked through that area you would say it is about time…thank you Minister Weeks for seeing that the road widening will be done…. and thank for widening the road between Whites and Spicelands….. this is long over due.
I live in the area and have not encountered a problem or ever seen an accident.. so again FOOD versus ASHPHALT??money could’ve been spent to assist people in NEED
What about Harbor Road over by Red Hole? Clearly one of the most narrow roads on our island. There are two houses there that have more land than they need. In fact, they don’t even use those parts of their properties. I say SDO and releave them of 5 – 10 feet of ther roadside property to accomodate the rest of the island.
Looking at the Capital budget, there is no money allocated for this, but there IS money allocated for the Warwick scheme – what project is being stopped to fund this? Or is the Warwick one NOT going to happen?
How can they have money for one but annouce two?
So everything we do now, there will be a press conference, smh,smh.