Governor Ric Todd stated on 5th September, that he had signed a $2.042m contract with Cove Construction to carry out the much anticipated repair of the Caicos Causeway.
His Excellency had previously intended for work to begin on the causeway linking North and Middle Caicos by 30 Jun 2012. However, the agreement of the contract took longer to negotiate as a number of options as to how the work could be carried out, considering the technical implications of each of these alternatives and calculating the final price all had to be agreed.
The extent of the repairs necessary to this iconic structure has meant the Interim Administration’s investment has also increased from $1.35m to more than $2m.
The works will now begin in November 2012, following this year’s hurricane season, and are due for completion by May 2012. They will involve:
·The reconstruction of the causeway including filling and resurfacing both the bridge and its approaches
·Improving the barriers that protect the causeway from tides and winds
·Repairing the bridge’s waterproof membrane
·Replacing the existing street lights with new solar powered units
·Removing casuarinas trees and replacing mangroves
The work on the Caicos Causeway is one of the key infrastructure projects highlighted in this year’s budget, which also included repairs to the Millennium Highway, the replacement of the decrepit Reverse Osmosis plants on Grand Turk in 2012/13 and Salt Cay in 2013/14, as well as investment in schools.
“As a regular visitor to all of the family islands, I am very sensitive to the importance of the causeway in the daily lives and businesses of the people of North and Middle Caicos. I have said that rebuilding the causeway is a high priority for the interim administration, so I am delighted the contract is signed and work will soon be underway,” said Governor Todd.
“I am sorry that the work did not begin when I said it would before this hurricane season, but this was for good reason. We wished to be certain that the works carried out provided a long term solution to achieving a permanent road connection between the two islands and avoid the problems associated with the previous attempt. It is too important to the people of these two islands for that. I hope that the residents will look back this time next year and be pleased with their ability to use the causeway with greater ease.”
