Nothern Highway reinforced against flood
Meanwhile, drivers who travel between Ladyville and Belize City need to pay attention, not to the river, but to what’s happening along the road. Jacqueline Woods has more.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Motorists are advised to be careful when travelling between miles five and eight on the Northern Highway as extensive work is being done to this stretch of road that runs along the Belize River. As a result of storms over the years, the banks of the river have been eroding, posing a threat to traffic and running the risk of one day cutting a channel across the entire road. To control the situation, the Bella Vista Development Company has been given the contract to strengthen the embankment and save the highway from destruction.
Javier Berbey Jr. General Manager, Bella Vista Dev. Co.
“The river bank is eroding very fast and this rainy season that we have coming an unusual amounts of rain. And past experiences with Hurricanes Keith and Mitch the Ministry of Works has taken into consideration the fast erosion of the river bank and the protection of the existing highway.”
The company first had to remove the vegetation in the area in order to first see the extent of the damage and start the restoration work. But when people started seeing a section of the roadside being cleared they expressed fears that protective mangrove was being removed. However, Javier Berbey Jr., the general manager of the Bella Vista Development Group says concerns are unjustified.
Javier Berbey Jr.
“It’s old palm trees, very little of dying mangrove and the vegetation that you find in the area. We have not cut any mangrove as per say all the areas that are being cut is where the banks are dangerous and close to the road.”
Presently the company is working at mile five and a half, where special retaining walls will be erected to protect the banks from further erosion. The shoulder of the road will then be filled and extended.
Jacqueline Woods
“How do these guards protect the river bank from erosion?”
Anthony Obboye, Architect, Bella Vista Dev. Co.
“It going to be continuous, We’re gonna drive piles all along, so it’s gonna seal off the river from the road. The water will not be able to come to the road; it’s going to be protected. Then we’re going to fill on top, which should give you a shoulder from the existing highway to inside about fifteen feet minimum.”
Berbey cautions drivers to be careful when travelling along this stretch of highway.
Javier Berbey Jr.
“It’s basically an area that has a very soft shoulder or non existent shoulder at the time, which is very dangerous for traffic. We just ask the public to bear with us while the work is taking place and to be careful in the areas between Ladyville and Belize City as extensive works will take place and we will have very heavy machinery in the area.”
Meanwhile there is provision in the contract for the company to replant vegetation including mangroves in the area. The work should be completed next month. Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
The roadworks are part of the I.D.B. financed Emergency Reconstruction Facility established following Hurricane Keith.
