The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Fishing Hole Road bridge causeway is expected to reopen within another week, said Luther Smith, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works.

The causeway was closed last December for emergency remediation work after it was deemed unsafe due to hazardous driving conditions and engineering issues in the road construction.

When contacted for an update on Tuesday, Mr Smith reported that the road paving is completed.

“The reason it is not open (yet) for vehicular traffic is because signage and striping have got to be done,” he said.

Mr Smith said that contractors have to wait about a month for the asphalt paving to cure before striping could take place.

“It has been 28 days, and we think we can begin, and we will have the contractor go in now and begin that striping and to put up the (road) signage. So, hopefully, within another week at the latest, the road will be operable,” he stated.

When the bridge causeway opens, he said the service road used by motorists will be closed.

Mr Smith said the Grand Bahama Port Authority would have to pay the government for the work undertaken to make the service road suitable for motorists to traverse.

The Fishing Hole Bridge was built at a total cost of $9.2m. It spans 900ft and connects West Grand Bahama and Freeport. Thousands of commuters traverse daily via the bridge.

Last December, the Grand Bahama Port Authority learned about safety concerns at the Fishing Hole causeway.

During their assessments, officials at the GBPA discovered that an immediate oil slick on the concrete road surface made driving conditions unsafe for motorists. The GBPA and the Government came to an understanding to close the road for remediation work.

The old service road was then repaved and reopened as an alternate for motorists.