Albert and Regent Street finally finishing
It’s almost complete – that is the paving of Albert and Regent Streets. The works are in the last stages which would end the dust and the traffic congestions in the two main arteries in the city after five in the evenings by the end of this week if all goes according to plan. That’s what the Minister of Works, Anthony “Boots” Martinez says and that only the finishing touches are left.
Anthony “Boots” Martinez, Minister of Works
“Its near completion, at least the hot mix portion. That should be completed probably today and into tomorrow. The main areas are finished, we’re already dealing with the curves off the side streets with hot mix. Of course, if you notice, on the next side will we need to finish the small little portion of stamp concrete, we need to put in the beautiful light poles that will be going on there.”
We also will be looking on doing some good line-marking and reflectors on Albert Street. We want to make it beautiful. The ministry of Works is preparing some equipment, well deserved to also put a little enhancements to Albert and Regent and also the infrastructure countrywide.”
Marion Ali
“What will happen to the neighboring streets or the streets turning right off these two major arteries here; Albert and Regent Streets. We find Church Street, we find Bishop Street; a lot of them needing repairs.”
Anthony “Boots” Martinez
“We are working with the Belize City council to bring all of those streets the proper surface dressing, meaning Church Street to the bridge, Orange Street to the bridge, Bishop Street, South Street, and all the other streets leading to Foreshore. So we’re working on a program along with the city Council to resurface the downtown area to make it a complete area; it won’t be hot mix but surface dressing. Apart from that we are looking on the new revelation for 2009, partnering especially with the Tourist Board and the ministry of Tourism to enhance the infrastructure of the country including in the towns, North Front Street, the route to the Tourist Village”
Marion Ali
“What will it entail?”
Anthony “Boots” Martinez
“It will entail hot mix and to get the whole place beautify, as far as I understand it, going over the bridge and apart from that in the towns, especially Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk to make it more beautiful and attractive place I already say that in terms of the towns, there won’t be any hot mix but infrastructure-wise, the infrastructure in the towns will be better. We are getting ready to prepare, through C.D.B., the Northern Highway to fully scale up to the airport junction, the Placencia Road is underway, Kendall Bridge we are getting underway.”
In related news, Martinez says that government has decided that the temporary bridge that was to be installed at the Kendall crossing, will be set up at another location. The current crossing at Kendal will instead be retrofitted to become an all-weather one until a permanent bridge is built in about a year’s time. The Ministry of Works will use the donated Bailey bridge that was gifted to Belize by the U.S. government, at other locations in the country.
