Feb. 26, 2002 – Road repairs to address problems dating from Hurricane Hortense are soon to get under way on St. Croix.
While hardly anyone remembers Hortense, which passed south of St. Croix in early September 1996, the storm's legacy remains much in evidence in the form of road washouts on Route 622 at Bugby Hole, two sites on Route 78 (also called East Scenic Road), two sites on West Scenic Road, and one on Route 80 in La Vallee.
The Public Works Department has contracted V.I. Paving to repair those sections of road, and Aloy Nielsen, department director of highway engineering, said he expects the project to get under way any day now. "The clock is ticking," he said, and the company has until April 26 to finish the work.
In addition to the repairs at washouts, the project involves extension and replacement of drainage pipes, construction of embankments, and paving, Public Works Commissioner Wayne D. Callwood said in a press release issued Monday.
Nielsen said the Federal Highway Administration provided $123,000 to fund the project under its emergency relief program. While the areas slated for repair don't see much traffic, Callwood urged motorists to observe warning signs and use caution "to ensure the safety of the traveling public and the construction workers."
