CULVERTS BEING BUILT IN WASH GHAUT AREA TO MITIGATE AGAINST FLOODING DURING HEAVY RAINFALL AND IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, July 11, 2019 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Local contractor, I&B Construction Ltd, is forging ahead with the construction work on the piece of road just outside of Cayon, known as Wash Ghaut, that will permanently address the issue of the disruption in traffic flow due to heavy water flow across the island main road.

For years, heavy water flow associated with torrential rainfall or the passage of a hurricane disrupted vehicular activity in that area – at times making it impassable even for emergency services vehicles.

That problem is now being addressed as part of phase two of the comprehensive Island Main Road Rehabilitation Project currently being undertaken between the areas of Keys and Saddlers Village.

Engineer at the Public Works Department, Mr. George Gilbert, indicated in a recent interview that culverts are being put in place to properly and effectively address the issue of water flow across the road.

“We are actually putting in three concrete culverts which will take the water from the ghaut down to the sea side. These culverts will be underground and the road will flow over it. Once ago we used to drive down into a hollow then back up onto the flat, now [the traffic] will be flowing straight over with the culverts underground,” Mr. Gilbert said.

A culvert is described as a closed conduit or tunnel used to convey water from one area to another, normally from one side of a road to the other to help alleviate issues of flooding and reduce erosion.

Mr. Gilbert also spoke highly of the quality of work being delivered by the workmen of I&B Construction Ltd ably led by its Director, Mr. Trevor Isaac.

He added, “They are actually ahead of their schedule. What is happening is that they are working seven days of the week and are working long and extended hours so they are really ahead of the game right now.”

Mr. Gilbert said the contractor is motivated to complete work on the culverts before the country experiences any heavy rainfall or hurricanes, as the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season continues.

In order for construction on the culverts to begin, a bypass road had to first be put in place to divert traffic and allow for uninterrupted work by the local contractor.

Construction on that portion of the Island Main Road Rehabilitation Project commenced on June 3, 2019.