Hodges Creek Road Set for April Completion
Chief of Infrastructure Development Duane Fraites says the long-delayed Hodges Creek to Paraquita Bay road works, expanded after further deficiencies were found, are expected to finish by April. Asphalt paving of the full stretch remains dependent on repairs to the territory’s asphalt plant, while sewage connections and drainage works are being prioritised to protect the new surface.
Construction on the Hodges Creek to Paraquita Bay road is expected to be completed by April, Chief of Infrastructure Development Duane Fraites told residents at a recent community meeting, offering an update on a project that has drawn public concern after more than a year of delays.
Fraites acknowledged the protracted timeline and said the original contract was expanded after contractors uncovered additional deficiencies when work began. “We expect the road project; we are going to be doing some additional works separate to what was initially contracted. So when you include the additional works, we expect everything to be completed by April,” he said.
Residents have complained about cost overruns, incomplete paving and persistent drainage problems. Sections of the roadway—particularly near Alphonso Apartments and other low-lying areas—have remained unpaved for months and been affected by sewage and sediment runoff. Fraites said the team identified major challenges on many of the side roads that required remediation.
He pointed to severe undermining on the road leading to the reservoir and ongoing sediment flow into adjacent streets. Contractors are currently installing sidewalks from Hodges Creek Marina towards Chalwells, and a previously unpaved section delayed while materials were procured for sewage connections has now been completed and is ready for paving.
The full asphalting of roughly 3,900 to 4,000 feet of roadway, Fraites warned, will have to wait until the territory’s asphalt plant is restored. “Once that is up, then we’ll be able to asphalt that section of road,” he said. In the meantime Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said officials’ priority is practicality: “My instructions to them is to have something that’s drivable.” Work is also under way below ground.
Contractors are installing multiple polymer concrete chambers to accommodate electrical conduits, and concrete pavement will be retained in some hilly areas to manage water runoff. With sewage systems in Long Swamp and Paraquita Bay nearing commissioning, officials emphasised the need for households to connect promptly to avoid wastewater damaging newly paved surfaces.
For residents, the update means ongoing, targeted activity — including drainage upgrades and utility work — before final paving. Authorities say those measures are intended to deliver a durable, usable road and to reduce recurrence of flooding and sediment problems that have inconvenienced commuters and local businesses since the project began.
Primary source: BVI News