Oct. 16, 2002 – It appears that things aren't going to get any easier any time soon for motorists who have been sitting in rush-hour traffic for the last two weeks as sewage line repairs continue by the Alexander A. Farrelly Criminal Justice Complex.
Everton Gibson, Public Works Department project supervisor, said on Wednesday that he hopes to finish by this weekend, or the middle of next week, but that's a cautious estimate. "It's a ticklish project," he said. "You never know what your going to meet."
He said his crews have been working around the clock on the project, which started in late September, and were progressing well, only to discover they didn't have the proper piping.
"We had to get an emergency request through Property and Procurement to get the parts that weren't on the island," he said. "It's not a small thing — it's a 30-inch pipe we're working on."
The pipeline they are working on carries sewage from the Havensight and Estate Thomas areas to the Airport Lagoon sewage plant. "We're working hard to prevent it [the sewage] from going into the sea," Gibson said. Yellow plastic booms to contain the sewage can be seen floating in the water just off the Legislature Building.
Westbound traffic has few problems. Eastbound traffic is being detoured through the Fort Christian parking lot, which slows traffic severely at peak drive times. One day last week, motorists were backed up to Nisky Center.
Public Works Commissioner Wayne Callwood is urging motorists to adhere to the posted signs and barricades along the work site. He also suggested using alternative routes.
He said speeding vehicles have knocked down several barricades, which can pose a danger to the crew members. As a result, he said, "a speed bump had to be installed to slow down the drivers."
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