News

Motorists seeking seeking access to University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) and the Truman Bodden Sports Complex (TBSC) from Walkers Road can look forward to a significantly shorter journey, now that phase one of the construction of a connector road is underway.

A quarter-mile in length, the road begins in the vicinity of Burger King on Walkers Road and stretches to the northern end of Olympic Way, near the UCCI entrance.

The National Roads Authority (NRA) has completed the first stage of works, to coincide with the CARIFTA Games, scheduled to begin on Saturday, 20 April 2019 at the TBSC. This has involved successfully clearing and levelling the existing ground, to allow the route to be used by CARIFTA organisers as an additional access way for persons attending the Games this weekend. Further works will continue after the Games.

The NRA was recently authorised by a notice in the Gazette to enter the affected properties on or after Thursday, 18 April. Mindful of the CARIFTA Games, the NRA contacted affected property owners and consensus was reached to start the clearing a week earlier.

“It will only be a dirt road for this weekend and, while that may be a novel experience for some drivers, it was important we made the route accessible to CARIFTA organisers, particularly to help with traffic relief during the peak periods,” explained Edward Howard, Acting Managing Director of the NRA.

“It will be closed off after this weekend and full construction works will begin, starting with utility providers who will install underground services” Mr. Howard added.

The NRA is advocating for a future phase that would connect Olympic Way to Academy Way by providing a link road through what was originally the carpark area of the old George Hicks High School.

Donovan Ebanks, Chair of the NRA Board, stressed that these works are essential, as “this area is already congested during peak hours; the development of the old George Hicks site and completion of the new high school will only make congestion worse.”

Mr. Ebanks, who was Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD) 30 years ago, added that this proposal “has been around for 30 years. It was a recommendation of the Master Ground Transportation Plan in 1988.”

The first phase of the works will create bicycle lanes in each direction and a continuous pavement along one side, from Walkers Road to UCCI. Construction is scheduled to be completed by August 2019 at a cost of approximately $1.5 million, including land compensation costs.

The project is being developed by the NRA with funding provided by the Ministry of Commerce, Planning & Infrastructure.