Imbert: More interchanges coming

Addressing a news conference at his ministry’s Richmond Street offices on Tuesday, Imbert said: “There are many other complex interchange structures that we need to build.”

He identified the Solomon Hochoy Highway’s extension from Cross Crossing to Debe and new highways from San Fernando to Princes Town as some of the projects which will require the construction of complex interchange structures.

Imbert said all of these projects provided opportunities for local contractors and his ministry will continue to encourage them to upgrade their capacity to handle projects on the same scale as the Interchange by partnering with foreign contractors.

The minister added that several foreign contractors have expressed interest in getting involved in Government’s national highways extension programme and the rapid rail project either on their own or as part of a joint venture with local contractors.

Imbert said Government has invited firms from Venezuela, Korea, Spain, Costa Rica and a TT-Venezuela joint venture company to tender for Phase Two of the Interchange which is a US$25 million elevated bridge structure and additional tenders will be published in the newspapers. The minister added that Phase One of the Interchange (a ramp for south to west traffic) should be completed in August while Phase Two should be finished between September to November 2007.