The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A GRAND Bahama Port Authority official said it is critical that the government hire a contractor to commence remedial work to resolve the issues at the Fishing Hole Road causeway in Hawksbill Creek because the temporary service road is prone to deterioration during bad weather.

Troy McIntosh, deputy director and city manager at GBPA, said they are aware of the concerns of the motoring public regarding the conditions at the service road, and have taken steps to provide additional grading at the site.

He noted that the GBPA has been aware of residents’ concerns over the safety of the bridge at the FHR since last December.

Mr McIntosh said that the Port Authority had engaged with the Ministry of Works over the past few months to investigate the issue at the causeway, particularly the portion of concrete surface within the structure.

“The Ministry of Works has done an assessment of the same with the view of determining the necessary corrective actions that will be taken to remedy the situation,” he said.

He explained that while waiting for the ministry to conclude the investigation and begin remedial work, in early December 2022 the GBPA began preparations to close the bridge at a cost of $20,000. They also spent an additional $5,000 to grade the service road to be used as an alternative route to safeguard motorists, he said.

“Stakeholders were advised that the above temporary measure can easily deteriorate due to unfavourable weather conditions,” Mr McIntosh said. “Thus, the importance of the Ministry of Works engaging a contractor to begin remedial works is critical.

“The government is aware of our concern, and we will continue to liaise with them with respect to when such work will commence. In the interim, we are cognizant of the concerns of the motoring public and will once again expend resources for additional grading of the service road that is temporarily being used during the Fishing Hole Road causeway’s closure,” Mr McIntosh said.

Last December, the FHR bridge/causeway was closed as a result of the hazardous driving conditions experienced and engineering issues in the road construction.

During that time, Luther Smith, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Works, had informed The Tribune that the causeway would undergo emergency remediation work over the next two months. However, the causeway remains closed.

He had confirmed that an agreement was reached with GBPA to close the road, and in the meantime, the Port would prepare the secondary road to provide access to motorists travelling to and from west Grand Bahama.

He said there were a combination of issues there: an immediate oil slick and other environmental hazards, as well as an engineering issue in that the road was covered with concrete rather than an asphalt surface.