President Obama's stimulus program is helping to pay for almost $5 million worth of road paving, rebuilding, and parking lot improvements along the north shore of the island.
The contractor, Island Roads, has been on the job for almost a year. The project is expected to continue through October. It's included paving the gravely parking lot at Peace Hill, overlooking Hawksnest Bay. That job, however, was reportedly funded by admission fees collected at Trunk Bay.
Stimulus dollars have been largely responsible for roadwork including a new road surface from Trunk to Cruz Bay. The parking lot behind the National Park Service building is also getting a smooth-over.
The work will also bring some comfort to people who have complained, for years, about the lack of markings on St. John roads. Plans call for center striping of the new surfaces as well as what are described as 'smooth speed bumps' to slow traffic to 15 miles an hour. (Wait 'til a few taxi drivers hear about this.)
As long as I’ve been visiting St John I’ve always felt the roads were in good shape, but of course where I live in southeast Louisiana, the condition of our roads make most other seem good. The idea of “smooth speed bumps” make sense as long as they are not the kind I’ve encountered in some parts of the island, maybe this will slowdown a few of the tailgaters….
Some parts of the island could do with road improvements, however, paving the lot at Peace Hill is really not necessary. It is perfectly useable the way it is.
Some new pot holes already. Hmmm.
That program will definitely solve the conditions of some roads that has been the complaint of some people for quite some time now. This will now bring comfort for the people.