Despite heavy rainfall and shortages of bitumen, Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan expects that the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension will be completed by mid-2023.
Speaking to reporters during a tour of the Gandhi Village Roundabout on Tuesday, Sinanan said 40 per cent of what was earmarked to be completed this year could not be completed because of heavy rainfall.
“The information that I have at this time is that the highway will be completed next year. You must recognise we had a two-year COVID shutdown and also this year we had a very early rainy season so the amount of work that was supposed to go into the highway this year was delayed,” he explained.
Sinanan revealed that poring works were ongoing by the various contractors who have been engaged in construction.
“Last week, I was down there when they cast the last major pore on the highway. There’s one other pore and then that will complete most of the major infrastructure work. After that, it will just be some earthworks and some paving on the last segment,” he added.
Expressing confidence that the project will finally be completed, Sinanan said: “I can see the highway completing next year providing that we get good weather, I would say maybe the middle of next year, that’s where we’re targeting now but again, that depends on the weather condition.”
He noted, however, that the highway was proceeding as planned.
“I see really no hiccups going forward provided we get the good weather,” he added.
The decision to build the San Fernando to Point Fortin Highway was in the making for over 30 years. The National Physical Development Plan of 1984 included an alignment for such a highway, inclusive of the development of Mosquito Creek. In 1998, a pre-feasibility study was done. A full feasibility study and initial designs were done by LEA-Trintoplan and Ecoengineering between 2005 to 2007.
That final report indicated the 1998 study outlined the need for a more direct route between San Fernando and Point Fortin-La Brea. It highlighted traffic delays on sections of SS Erin Road from Cross Crossing to Siparia, as well as traffic delays on the two-lane section of South Trunk Road and Southern Main Road, between Cross Crossings and St Mary’s Junction.
AECOM and Halcrow were consultants on the project and were in charge of engineering designs. OAS Constructora was the main contractor but in late 2015, NIDCO accused OAS of abandoning the project. It then cancelled the contract, which has cost the State almost $1 billion. In June 2018, the Government announced that it will divide the project into packages to boost competition among local contractors and drive down prices. Twelve work packages were tendered by the Government in December 2020.
Last August, NIDCO announced the highway will be completed by mid to late 2022. However, that date was not realised.