Floods worsen conditions of city streets
At news time, traffic is backed up at the entrance of Belize City on the Northern Highway with traffic flowing only one way resulting from flood waters. Well, the streets of Belize City have not seen a good day in a long time and now they are weather beaten. Whether the problem is loose gravel, dust and now flooding, the streets are in urgent need of proper maintenance. This afternoon News Five asked Mayor Zenaida Moya about the Albert Street project, the mini-roundabouts on Princess Margaret Drive and about those potholed streets.
Zenaida Moya, Belize City Mayor
“The condition of the streets has really taken the worse primarily because of the flooding and the extra rains over the past couple weeks. Now that the sun is out our team is already on the ground and we will be all over the city ensuring that we deal with those potholes that had become a nuisance to our residents. Clearly, we understand that the situation has really put some frustration in the minds of some residence but we want to reassure them that the works are being done, the works department, they are out here and again, we’re working full speed to make sure that the different streets will be dealt with. The Prime Minister has already indicated there will be some funds coming to the Council. However, they will be funneling that money via the Ministry of Works and so we should get those works under way.”
“The Albert and Regent Streets, as far as we know, the work should continue. We haven’t been informed of any rescheduling of works so we’re still anticipating an early completion of the project, hopefully some time this month. Again, the Ministry of Works has undertaken that project so they will be the ones who would be ensuring that the works are in fact implemented.”
“The roundabout again, the small finishing touches will have to be completed. We have the concrete lane that will be just about the actual structure that is already on the ground. So it will be a concrete lane so that the street is not torn up. So the contractors will be coming in since the rains have pretty much subsided for now. They will be coming in to do that concrete lane. Again, that will be marked off because we will have that concrete lane just for those that will be driving around the roundabout and then the whatever needs to be broken off, the little inner triangular lanes, those that need to be broken off will be broken off so that the outer lane will be lined up properly for persons to adequately drive around the roundabout. The necessary speed bumps will be installed as well.”
Moya says that the City Council is also working on cleaning out and repairing culverts throughout the City.
