By Senator Lindsay Simmons, Constituency #10, Smith’s North

If you’ve driven across the island, you’ve probably notiiced fewer potholes, smoother roads, and the crews are out and about. After several frustrating years real, visible progress can be seen on our roads.

From potholes to paving, from equipment upgrades to budget increases, we are not only listening, we’re delivering.

In the 2025/26 Budget, we committed over $5 million specifically for road and sidewalk resurfacing, pothole repair, and drainage upgrades. That’s part of an overall  increase for the Ministry of Public Works, bringing its total funding to $84.1 million and represents a clear demonstration of our commitment to rebuilding infrastructure and restoring our roads.

Your PLP Government has:

• Signed multimillion-dollar agreement with Astec Industries and will deliver new asphalt plant components, a milling machine, paver, and shuttle buggy.
  
  
• Imported paving machinery, with the asphalt plant equipment scheduled to begin arriving this summer with the plant installation site expected to be fully operational in early 2026
  
  

This will allow us to pave faster, more efficiently, and more durably than ever before.

Government crews and contractors have completed or are actively working on:

• Middle Road in Warwick and Sandys
  
  
• Scaur Hill and Somerset Bridge
  
  
• George’s Bay Road to Evans Bay
  
  
• Loyal Hill
  
  
• Flora Duffy Hill (pending completion of utility work in the area)
  
  
• Smith’s Drive, Devonshire
  
  
• Harrington Sound Road
  
  

Where utility works have been completed, paving has followed. Where resurfacing is still needed, dates are scheduled. It’s not all done yet,  but we are making progress.

To support these efforts:

• 14 new street sweepers have been added, increasing the manpower to 21.
  
  
• A dedicated pothole repair crew is now working on weekends to handle emergency patch jobs faster.
  
  
• Government has partnered with private contractors like East End Asphalt Ltd., ensuring more work gets done across the island.
  
  

We’re also addressing long-overdue safety concerns. That includes:

• Installing new guardrails at high-risk locations.
  
  
• Repairing and replacing wooden fences along South Road and other busy corridors.
  
  
• Installing flashing beacons at crosswalks to improve pedestrian safety.
  
  
• Upgrading drainage infrastructure to reduce flooding during heavy rainfall.
  
  

New traffic signal control panels for Marsh Folly and Crow Lane have been ordered and are expected this summer.

Progress will continue throughout the summer and fall with:

• Expanded resurfacing across all parishes.
  
  
• Continued guardrail, lighting, and crosswalk upgrades.
  
  
• Improved communication on upcoming roadworks and traffic diversions.
  
  

Are all our roads perfect? 

Not yet, but the difference today is clear, and our roads and infrastructure will only get better.