NV GEBE announces that starting on Monday the 07th August, 2017, there will be trench and road work activities taking place at the Yrausquin Boulevard and Buncamper Street starting at the Point Blanche cargo terminal to the Freedom Fighters roundabout near Sundial School.
The works will be carried out by Windward Roads and will be executed in collaboration with The Ministry of VROMI, Cable TV, Telem and UTS to install a main water line, sewerage, high voltage cables and other utilities.
The project has been divided in sections which are as follows:
· Easement to Water Tank Point Blanche.
· Trenching Phase 1: Cargo Entrance – Dock Maarten (Chesterfields) – (Total 742 m)
· Trenching Phase 2: Dock Maarten (Chesterfields) – Emmaplein (total 508 m)
· Trenching Phase 3: Emmaplein – Freedom Fighters round-About (Total 409 m)
· Trenching Phase 4: Sewerage from W.G. Bumcamper Rd to Voges Street (Total 101m)
One lane will be closed off temporarily on sections of the work, leaving the other lane for alternating one directional traffic. Construction activities will continue during the night on narrow sections to reduce traffic disruption. The section between Dock Maarten and Emmaplein will be executed on a 24 hour basis seeing that it is the “bottle neck” of the project. Executing it in this manner will limit the inconvenience of the traffic in and out of Point Blanche.
Pedestrians will be rerouted between Dock Maarten and Bobby’s Marina during the road works by means of a dedicated pedestrian walk behind the existing fence.
Due to the very congested Juancho Yrausquin Boulevard the project execution has been decided and approved to be executed in the low season period in order to limit the inconvenience it will cause to the cruise passengers, residence of Point Blanche area and the heavily in- and outgoing cargo traffic and bus transportation.
The work to be carried out is to upgrade the main electricity transmission lines as well as the water distribution lines leading into and out of Point Blanche as it has become a vital resource to country Sint Maarten.
The purpose of the upgrades are as follows;
· Water: A new water plant was constructed in Point Blanche in order to keep up with the water demand to the community on the Eastern side of the island. This requires increasing of the transmission line size towards the Sundial School (Freedom Fighters round-about). This will improve the water flow and pressure to the (North) Eastern side of the island.
· Electricity: Due to increase in demand and importance (Water Plant, Harbor Cruise & Cargo Facility and future Hotel expansion of the Point Blanche area) to the island of Sint Maarten, additional high voltage cables are required. In order to distribute the electricity in a coordinated manner a substation will be constructed as well.
As before mentioned the project is being executed in collaboration with all utility companies (Cable TV, Telem and UTS) and as well as The Ministry of VROMI. This means that the required main sewerage lines will also be installed to handle the future sewerage disposal of the Point Blanche area.
With a total cost of Naf 5.5 million, this project is of high importance and a vital investment for Country Sint Maarten.
Motorists are advised to take into account additional travel time and to pay keen attention and abide by the traffic signs, controllers and lights that will be in place. Motorists should also drive with caution in connection with the works that would ongoing in the area during the day as well as night time. Their safety if of high importance.
NV GEBE apologizes to motorists, businesses, residents and visitors to the island for any inconveniences this may cause.