Traffic is being rerouted starting today, Dec. 14, in downtown Christiansted to accommodate repairs to the Steeple Building Clock Tower on the corner of Hospital and Company Streets, according to a press release issued Wednesday by the St. Croix Administrator.
Motorists traveling west into Christiansted will need to take a different route along Queen Street once they enter the east end of the town. Eastbound traffic will flow along its normal route along Hospital Street. The detour will be in place until Friday, and pedestrian access to the area around the historic Steeple Building will be restricted from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Tuesday.
“We appreciate the motoring public’s patience. There is a public safety issue, and we apologize for the inconvenience as the National Park Service conducts these essential repairs,” said St. Croix Administrator Dodson James.
The repairs were prompted by concerns that people passing through the area could potentially be hurt by loose shingles falling from the Steeple Building, according to James. As the work is conducted, Company Street will be closed to pedestrians between Church and Hospital Streets. The fencing will be removed during off hours.
“If the project is completed ahead of schedule, traffic will then be returned to its normal patterns,” James said.