Column: MP Linda Smith On Road Paving & More
[Opinion column written by MP Linda Smith]
In July 2023, former Minister of Public Works the Hon. Lieutenant Col. David Burch predicted it would cost $100 million over a 10 period to fully repave half of Bermuda’s roads. Almost three years later, it is disturbing to see that for a third consecutive year only $5 million has found its way into the current budget for repaving efforts. This despite the celebratory budgetary surplus, which Government says is supporting its continuing aggressive road works programme.
Having a budget surplus, while allowing valuable infrastructure assets to go to seed is not an indication of success or great management. Infrastructure maintenance should be carried out on a repeatable cycle like the painting of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, where – when the painting team gets to the end, they start again. For many reasons, now would be a good time for Bermuda to pick-up the road paving pace.
Why does Government not see fit to increase the allocation for road paving when the new $6.2 million asphalt plant is scheduled to come into operation soon, significantly increasing asphalt production and paving capacity? The asphalt plant was originally expected to be fully in place by Q1 2026, but reports in November indicated shipment of the plant was delayed for three months to allow for independent assessment of possibly relocating the Government Quarry. That said, there is still hope that production limitations of the old plant will soon become a thing of the past.
Bermuda is looking shabby, and most people can see that $5 million does not buy a lot when it comes to paving Bermuda’s roads. Much of the work that has been done on the roads over the past few years has been sporadic. After rainstorms, potholes are filled with loose aggregate that gets packed down by passing traffic until the next big rainstorm when it gets washed away. Then there are the disparate sections of road that do get paved, some on one side – some on both, but few seem to win the coveted painted centre line.
Potholes, uneven road seams and shiny slippery surfaces are not only unsightly, but also dangerous. Practically everyday there are serious traffic accidents, and while impaired driving and recklessness are main contributors, one cannot help but wonder how the condition of our roads also contributes to the high number of accidents.
The condition on our roads affects much more than aesthetics. In December, Minister of Public Works & Environment the Hon. Jache Adams updated the House of Assembly on efforts to restore and modernise Bermuda’s Roads. He provided an update on recently completed jobs and others in the immediate pipeline. In that statement it was encouraging to receive confirmation that within weeks Public Works would be introducing traffic-calming measures along Church Road in Southampton.
Requests by residents for traffic calming measures on Church Road date back some four to five years. There are three schools, a post office and a church on Church Road, which over the years has become a thoroughfare for commercial vehicles taking a short-cut moving between Middle and South Roads. The sightlines on Church Road are awful and with large vehicles traveling at speed, it is an accident waiting to happen. Church Road is a heavily traversed public road, frequented by children and seniors. This job should be given priority. At last check, I received an email acknowledging my most recent correspondence and was told that the work would be done in due course. I am not sure how long ‘due course’ takes, but let’s hope that it is sooner than later.
It is not only public roads that are an issue, there are also many safety and structural concerns regarding private roads in neighbourhoods throughout the Island. In the past there was a formula used for Government and residents to share the cost of repairs and improvements to private roads.
In the March 2025 Throne Speech, Government promised to update The Private Roads [Improvement] Act 1969 and the Private Roads [Lighting] Act 1984 to give the Minister greater authority to act in the interest of general safety in residential areas.
In September, there was a Ministerial Statement about the launch of a public consultation process to gather input on how the Acts should be updated. We have not heard any more about that, but it would be interesting to know the level of participation in the public consultation, what the public said, next steps and timelines.
It would also be very good to see some or all of the $3 million allocated in the budget for “community improvement projects” to target accelerated road works in the interest of public safety.
- Linda Smith is the MP for C31, Southampton West Central. She is also the Shadow Minister of Public Works & Environment
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