$700M to build alternative access roads

Government is to spend $700 million to construct a road network designed to create alternative access routes. The alternative routes will help to clear up some of the traffic congestion at the major town centres, Transport Minister Franklin Khan said yesterday. He was speaking at a post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall.

Khan said there were 17 such projects, some of which would require public consultation, while others would be  easy to implement.
Among the 17 projects identified are:
*Upgrading the Laventille Road from Saddle Road to Lady Young Road, Mon Repos and Caledonia.
* Construction of a link between Saddle Road and Lady Chancellor Road via the hills of St Anns.
* Upgrading the Hololo Mountain Road between Santa Cruz and Cascade
* Upgrading the link between Tucker Valley, Chaguaramas and Covigne into Diego Martin.
*The creation of a “straight line access” from Santa Flora to Point Fortin. (Currently persons who live at Santa Flora have to come back to San Fernando to get to Point Fortin). This project would involve the upgrading of the South Siparia Erin Road from Santa Flora to Point Fortin through forest reserve and Los Bajo. This will mean the  taking over of Petrotrin Oilfield Road by the Ministry of Works, Khan said.
*The opening of Petrotrin forest reserve road from Fzyabad to Point Fortin.
*The upgrading of the Union Road Crossing in Gasparillo to a full diamond interchange by  adding ramps to the Solomon Hochoy Highway on all four quadrands. This would relieve the congestion at Union Road Crossing, he said.
*The upgrading of existing Estate Road to improve the link between Rivulet Road and the Couva Town Centre.
*The repairing of the Farm road bridge over the St Joseph River and repairing Farm road and Harris Street to link the Southern Main Road in Curepe to the Eastern Main Road in Champs Fleurs.
*Construction of a bridge across the San Juan River to link Aranguez to Bridge Road.
* Upgrading the link between Aranguez Road and the Uriah Butler Highway via Aranguez Estate Traces.
* Construction of a link between Marabella and King’s Wharf in San Fernando and to Lady Hailes Avenue along the abandoned Railway Line.