BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Second Phase of the Kim Collins Highway Roundabout is nearing closure as more diversion is instituted in order to facilitate the final push to complete the project on time.
In a press conference held today (Mar. 17) at the newly-opened section of the Roundabout, Director of Public Works Cromwell Williams explained that the project has now reached a critical phase where the construction crew would soon be closing several roads to begin realignment work on the shoulders of those roads.
“As you know, the Roundabout has four arms; it joins the Kim Collins Highway, the Frigate Bay Road, the Bird Rock Road and Pond Road.
“We would open a third arm of this Roundabout, which is Pond Road. We also at the same time would close the Bird Rock Road entrance to all traffic so that we can immediately commence work,” Williams explained.
He added that as of Wednesday (Mar. 19), the changes would be instituted beginning with the closure of several roads and the realignment work is expected to last between two to three weeks.
At this time, he said, “the Roundabout would be substantially completed”, stressing that safety is a priority for the Ministry.
“Such as marking and signage, landscaping and drainage issues, we have chosen to give adequate notice so that persons can make preparations…so they would know what alternative routes to take,” Williams added.
He opined that even though the work is not fully completed, works already undertaken at the Kim Collins Highway Roundabout have yielded benefits for motorists traversing the area.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works, Dr. the Hon. Asim Martin echoed similar sentiments and noted that the project, although not completed, has eased vehicular congestions in that particular area.
“A couple of weeks ago we had the opening of one arm of the Roundabout and we are here this morning to see the opening of a second arm that would take us into Basseterre, just in front of the Elian Walwyn and the Frisco Gas Station. We expect this arm to be opened by Wednesday of this week and we have already seen the improvements in the vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic. And when we open up this other half, we expect to see greater improvement,” he said.
Dr. Martin thanked the contracting firm of Lenox Warner and Partner for the work completed thus far on the project, and he used the platform to formally apologise to those businesses entities whose day-to-day operations might have been hampered.
