The official groundbreaking innaugration ceremony for the $120-million-dollar Loubiere to Bagatelle Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project took place on Friday, September 20, 2024. The Minister for Public Works, Fidel Grant, sod turned the ground at Geneva Playing Field, Grandbay, at 3:30 pm.
The Phase one will be marked by the restoration of the road’s asphaltic concrete to about 11 kilometers and the construction of several bridges, culverts and related activities, stretching from Loubiere to the Grand Bay Junction.
The project’s main objective is to restore the Loubiere to Grand Bay Road in the south area of the island to a level better than the previous ones, which were seriously affected by Tropical Storm Erika and Hurricane Maria.
The Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, genuinely commended the United Kingdom government during the inaugurating ceremony for the Loubiere to Bagatelle Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project. He gave an assurance on behalf of the people of Dominica that this partnership’s benefits would be long-lasting and affect many generations to come.
Additionally, Skerrit underlined the 36 million US dollars that the UK government has donated to the Water System Strategic Development Plan, set to begin later this year.
He also conveyed his gratitude to farmers, bus drivers, and many others for their patience. The government is working to build a foundation for Dominica with other major road developments across the nation, such as West Coast Road and the nearly completed East Coast roads.
This changing project is all set to a fresh start into the infrastructure with a target to improve the connectivity, safety, and general travel experience for all the people. The developed infrastructure will also be very significant in promoting the development of the economy, ensuring smoother commutes, and creating a sustainable and resilient transport network.
The project is estimated to help approximately 18,000 people who reside in the area by spending less time on the road and by having safe, all-weather, climate-resilient access to a route.
4,500 residents in the communities of Bellew Chopin, Pichelin, and Grand Bay will benefit from improved access to critical social services in the capital. It will increase economic opportunities during and after the construction process.
The project is made possible by funding from the UK Government under the UK Caribbean Infrastructure umbrella. The government has funded the rehabilitation of the entire road from Laubière to Bagatelle and Fond St. Jean with more than twenty-five million pounds in grants.
The phase 1 construction will provide stability to the slopes. The project will improve the road pavements, drainage system, retaining walls, road alignment, width, and safety.
The road will be extended in the phase 2 from Snug Corner to Pichelin with the installment of 35 culverts. The length of the road is 6.25 km with the interventions of the 12 slopes.
