Contractor to commence free remedial works on La Parfaite access road

Jun 29, 2017 News

Some of the potholes along the three-year-old La Parfaite Harmonie Access Road.

One of the contractors that constructed the $605M La Parfaite Harmonie Access Road is scheduled to commence remedial works soon on the link.
Managing Director of Gaico Construction, Komal Singh, in responding to Kaieteur News’ article, “$605 Road built to last 20 years, crumbling in three years”, said that his company has already begun preparing the road for the scheduled works. Singh said that he is aware of the situation and would have visited the link last Saturday to do an assessment.
The Managing Director said that his team immediately went out the following day (last Sunday) and graded the entire shoulder on both sides of the roadway so as to avoid the ‘ponding’ of water on the road, which tends to weaken the structure’s foundation.
“We were also scheduled to do the remedial work to the one damaged area in our section today (Tuesday) if the weather permits.” Singh informed this publication.
Singh recalled his visit to the link and noted some concerns over what he noticed.
“All of us are responsible for making sure our roadways are properly used and maintained.
Last Saturday I visited that road and was surprised to see water was ponding in almost six feet into the roadway on both sides; weeds was overgrown on both sides taking up the entire three feet walk way on both sides; and someone cleaned the northern canal and dumped all the spoils on the shoulder of the road, thus impeding the run-off of surface water from the roadway,” Singh reported.
“Also axle load is one of our biggest problems in this country. Most of the trucks transporting materials carry double the approved load. And since roads are design to handle approved axle loads, overloading creates excess stress on roadway thus reducing the lifespan.” Singh said.
The Contractor said that the asphalt on that roadway is an inch and a half thick and “it does not take much with a tractor (to) create damage.
Government must act swiftly in enforcing axle load in order to save our roadways, he stated.
There are over 10 potholes on the road with one as wide as three feet.
The lack of streetlights is also adding to concerns being raised by drivers who have to come to a dead-stop before diverting onto the other lane.
BK International is other contractor that carried out works on the roadway.
Almost a year ago, this newspaper carried a similar article and Gaico Construction began carrying out remedial works on the structure a day later. The company would have affected repairs to the link at no cost to government, this publication was told.
Although the defects liability period is up, Singh had told Kaieteur News last year that his company is still looking over the link as part of his company’s policy. The company will be doing so for ten years, he had stated.
It is unclear if BK International is doing same.
The highway was opened to vehicular traffic on September 6, 2014.

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