Road Paving Budget Doubled To $5 Million
The Government “acknowledges the community’s concern and frustration with the poor state of roads” and “the road paving budget has been more than doubled to $5 million,” Premier David Burt announced in the Budget this morning [Feb 16].
The relevant extract of the 2024 Budget statement said, “The Government acknowledges the community’s concern and frustration with the poor state of roads and is committed to restoring them to an acceptable standard.
“To address the widespread issues of public road conditions across the island, the road paving budget has been more than doubled to $5 million and additional capital funds have been allocated to procure a new asphalt plant and related equipment, as well as training and development for highways personnel to ensure more frequent, efficient, and cost-effective road works.”
You can read a full copy of the 2024 Budget speech here, view all our coverage of the 2024 Budget here, and view our live updates here.
This is wonderful news , now let us do something about this ridiculous situation
that a Bermudian has to wait 5 yes 5 Months to simply renew a bermuda Passport !!!!!!
But Burch said it would cost $100 million ???? Where is the rest of it?
Basically what this means is don’t expect the roads to be fixed… Just expect them to fill in a lot more potholes.
Burch said that The contract for a new asphalt plant for government to be issued later this year? Was that not included in the budget??
$5 million is a small fraction of the cost. How much of that money will be spent on the roads vs. salaries, overtime, etc? To save the planet, our roads must be upgraded to handle the extra weight of EVs. I seriously doubt anyone in Government is thinking forward on the required materials and work to construct stronger roads.
Using 140 miles of paved public roads, estimating 50% of main/major roads is 70 miles. Using $750,000 to $1,000,000 per mile today comes out as $52.5 to $70 MILLION! With inflation, when electric vehicles are mandated your children, grandchildren, and your grandchildren’s children will be sending their paychecks directly to Government.
Now, at what point in time will the Government decide to install steel guardrails? We already know that wooden guardrails cannot handle a gas-powered car. Why would even a government bureaucrat expect wood to stop a heavier EV? Add say another $4 TO $5 million for steel guardrails. EV batteries and salt water do not mix well so let’s get those steel guardrails in place as soon as possible.
Crash tests indicate nation’s guardrail system can’t handle heavy electric vehicles – AP January 31, 2024
Electric vehicles that typically weigh more than gasoline-powered cars can easily crash through steel highway guardrails that are not designed to withstand the extra force, raising concerns about the nation’s roadside safety system, according to crash test data released Wednesday by the University of Nebraska.
Electric vehicles typically weigh 20% to 50% more than gas-powered vehicles thanks to batteries that can weigh almost as much as a small gas-powered car. And they have lower centers of gravity. Because of these differences, guardrails can do little to stop electric vehicles from pushing through barriers typically made of steel.
(reminder: Bermuda’s speed limit is 25 mph vs America’s 55+ mph)
“The island’s crumbling infrastructure is the result of 20 years of neglect from successive governments” according to the Minister of Public Works.
Lt. Col. Burch said that a lack of funds had forced the Government to “take a Band-Aid approach to repair and maintain out-of-date equipment rather than invest heavily in new hardware.”
This is one of those rare occasions where I wholeheartedly agree with the Col.
If Burch thought this, he could have have started repairing the roads when the PLP got back into government in 2017. Things would have been fine by now. Instead, they wasted the last seven years, while miraculously finding time and funds to line the pockets of secretive TA Form software company owners, who made $millions.
This is ALL the fault of the PLP.
And they have no plans to rectify it.
Lt. Col. Burch can say what he wants now, he has already announced his intention to retire to Jamaica (not remain in Bermuda) at the end of this year.
He is not the only one who has identified as being more loyal to the caribbean than to Bermuda.