March 27, 2006 – St. Thomas motorists got a good look at a new downtown traffic detour Monday. In fact, they got a good, long look as Eastbound traffic on Veterans Drive was backed up almost all day.
The detour provides for repair to a culvert that runs beneath the Kanal Gade and Veterans Drive intersection, across from the Ron de Lugo Federal Building.
Public Works Commissioner George Phillips said in a release that the construction is estimated to take 90 days. This means that the detour will be in effect during the 2006 Carnival festivities.
Eastward traffic on Veterans Drive was almost at a standstill most of Monday, backed up to International Plaza. Westbound traffic moved smoothly on the one lane from Long Bay.
The new traffic routes:
– Westbound only on Veterans Drive from Lovers Lane to Hospital Gade, the street between the Fort Christian parking lot and the jail.
– Eastbound traffic on Veterans Drive must turn left on to Hospital Gade, and right on Norre Gade to Beltjen Road.
– Beltjen Road is one-way eastbound to the Lovers Lane intersection.
– Seventh-day Street will be open to two-way traffic during the project.
Traffic officers will be stationed at the Hospital Gade and Norre Gade intersection and at Bjerge Gade and Norre Gade intersection to aid traffic flow.
No parking on:
– North side of Long Bay road, running along Paul M. Pearson Gardens housing community.
– Route 308 Norre Gade, between Route 35 Hospital Gade and Route 314 Beltjen Road.
– South side of Seventh-day street.
Phillips said the project will remove the deteriorated and collapsed portion of the culvert that crosses Veterans Drive and will replace it with a new box culvert. "This will ensure the stability of this portion of Route 30 to stand up to storm surges in the future," he said.
The work is being done by a St. Thomas contractor, Bryan Chick Construction Services (BCCS).
Phillips said his department will work with the V.I. Police Department to make any traffic adjustments in anticipation of Carnival activities.
Carnival kicks off April 9 with the Prince and Princess Selection Show at 5 p.m. at Lionel Roberts Stadium. The rides in the Fort Christian parking lot open at 6 p.m. April 21, and Carnival village in the lot opens April 24 at 6 p.m.
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