Traffic disruptions expected as Royalton resort utility works begin

Motorists travelling through the Jamestown area along Highway One should brace for nightly traffic delays over the next two weeks, engineers said on Tuesday, as they began underground utility installations for the new Royalton Vessence Barbados resort project.

The update was provided during a press briefing at the Trents Community Centre by Neomie Tavernier of Gillespie and Steel Associates Ltd, a member of the project’s technical team.

Tavernier explained that the works are necessary to connect a sewage treatment plant located on Lot 56, Jamestown, to the main hotel property across the highway.

She said: “We are here today because the plant, a sewage treatment plant on Lot 56 Jamestown, needs to be connected to the main hotel. We need to install a utility tunnel across and beneath Highway One.”  

The works will affect several existing services that currently cross the roadway from south to north, including water, gas and fibre optic cables.

“This is going to affect existing services… water, gas, and fibre optic cables that exist running from south to north across Highway One,” Tavernier said, adding that the project team has carefully planned the works to reduce disruption.

“We have systematically planned the works so that we can do it working from east to west and, to facilitate that, we are providing detours to manage the traffic.”

According to Tavernier, the initial phase of the project will require an extended work zone that will temporarily block the main entrance into Jamestown Park.

“For the first few days, we will have to have an extended work zone that will block the main entrance going into Jamestown Park. We will maintain single-lane traffic on the northbound lane, and we will have a redirected entry and exit for persons from Jamestown through Lot 56.”

Works were scheduled to begin on Tuesday night, with activity mainly taking place overnight to minimise daytime disruption.

“These works are going to commence from tonight. There will be digging by C.O. Williams, and the gas installations will be happening in the early morning hours tomorrow,” Tavernier said. “Work is pretty much extending from 9 p.m. to around 6 a.m.”

She stressed that once work is not actively ongoing, the road will be reopened and traffic diversions removed.

Additional excavation is planned to start on the night of Saturday, January 10, as crews move from the centre of Highway One towards the western boundary.

“At this point, we’re dealing with BWA installations and Flow [telecoms],” Tavernier noted, adding that Barbados Water Authority works will involve night digging followed by daytime activity.

She also confirmed that temporary utility shutoffs will be required and that service providers will notify affected customers in advance.

“For the gas… there will be gas shutoff in the early hours of tomorrow morning, and we are hoping that doing it at that time will minimise disruptions to the hotels and restaurants in the area,” she said.

Water interruptions are expected from Sunday evening into the following Monday morning.

“The BWA shutoffs will happen from Sunday evening… and it is expected that the water will be back on by 5 a.m. so persons can get ready for work.”

Fibre optic works involving Flow are scheduled for the following week and will be concentrated near the western sidewalk area, with minimal impact on the roadway.

Overall, the works are projected to end January 20.

“We do want to stress that once we are not actively working in the area, the roads will be opened, and hopefully fully reinstated by the 20th of January,” Tavernier said.