Authority Will Light Up Queens Road
Among major projects lined up by the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) is the installation of street lights along the Queens Road.
The FRA reports: that 867 street lights will be installed between Lami and Sigatoka, not on the entire Queens Road but near settlements in between villages and schools.
These works will be completed by June.
In Nausori 1600 street lights will be installed in settlement areas, for Navua 124 lights by the end of February, and work on Savusavu and Labasa will start by the end of July. Meanwhile, the FRA will be working on major road infrastructure around Fiji in the next 12 months.
FRA chief executive officer Jonathon Moore said because the authority wanted to complete work around Fiji it would be working on each road around the divisions step by step and no work would start on one side of the road when the other side was yet to be completed.
IN NADI:
Mr Moore said the airport road to Wailoaloa junction was now substantially completed and open. “While the road from the airport to Wailoaloa is fully open right now, we are still looking to have a few more service lanes and traffic signals to be added,” he said.
On the completion of the work in Matintar, Nadi, FRA has carried out a road safety audit which was standard practice when opening a new road to identify issues and they have found a few crossings that needs to be introduced.
For the Nadi Town centre; footpath works carried out in December last year were now completed and FRA has now continued onto Namaka and Lautoka which are expected to be finished around the end of February.
For the Nausori Highland road, FRA identified a few issues before Christmas last year with crossing being damaged and it has got a contractor to work on an emergency repair.
Mr Moore said this had been completed with an assessment being undertaken and the crossing was still functional.
He said the Nausori Highlands was an important route that needed to be improved.
“The team is planning an extensive programme to upgrade the road and crossing to a permanent state of repair rather than to replace it every year,” Mr Moore said. “This is commencing mid this year and may take 18 months to finish.”
IN THE NORTH:
Mr Moore said five roads in the North would be worked on over the next year and it was well planned now and tenders would go out for contractors to work on each of the roads.
The FRA is looking at 10 locations for reseals in areas around schools and health centres over the next few months and also the challenging slope around the Bua area.
IN THE CENTRAL DIVISION;
For Suva, Ratu Cakobau and Dennison roads are undergoing complete rehabilitation works ending around March and work on Kimberly Street will start in February and will end around June including Lami area and Wainibuku, Nakasi. Major reconstruction works on the Naimasimasi and Naiborebore roads are expected to be completed around May.
In the Grantham Road - Gaji Road
FRA chief executive officer Jonathan Moore said five roads in the North would be worked on over the next year, and it was well planned now. Tenders would go out for contractors to work on each of the roads.
roundabout; work is still being carried out on some lane realignments and closures.
Mr Moore said work would be completed early next month. (February)
The Nabua roundabout is also expected to be completed in February and the Golf Link road would be completed this week.
He said the Nabua Road had caused a lot of traffic congestion in the past nine months and FRA was trying not to work on too many areas at the same time to ease traffic congestion.
On the Edinburgh Drive a potential slip was identified last Christmas and an investigation has been conducted. While it was not causing any problem the FRA will continue its work and monitor the road. Mr Moore added that if a threat was identified the road would be completely closed because the safety of people is paramount.
Work on Edinburg Drive will be completed in late February.
OTHER PROJECTS:
■ Bus shelters: FRA is upgrading and replacing 84 bus shelters around the country and that’s already started, ■ Major reconstruction of
Queen Elizabeth Drive; in Nasese, Suva to the National Stadium and tenders will go out in mid-February. ■ Footpaths: 15 kilometre footpaths in 17 locations around the country and another tender is being awarded for another 12km for 24 locations, future plans for 17 locations in 50 km for more remote areas and cities to help people walk to schools and health centres.
■ Traffic lights: upgrading 11 sites and should be completed by the end of April. More traffic lights are expected to aid congestion. ■ Urgent bridge works in Tamavua: Around 30 areas are in the urgent category and not all will be replaced but will be repaired. Bridges include Kings Road, Queens Road, Taveuni and also in Ovalau and will be carried out in the next 18 months.
■ Jetties: Major works to be done on the jetties, especially in Natovi and Nabouwalu. These will start in the next two to three months as the area has been scoped. Mr Moore said there were big time plans to upgrade the jetties including Savusavu and Taveuni.