Sixth Road Coastal Highway Upgrading Project

The project upgraded secondary roads, also in accessibility, to effectively connect the rural villages of Gales Point and Mullins River to the new highway. The work is formed of two lots:

• Lot 1 / km 0+000 - km 28+163: upgrade of La Democracia intersection with George Price highway and connection with Gales Point town center;
• Lot 2 / km 28+163 - km 58+041: new roundabout at intersection with Hummingbird Highway and connection to Mullins River town.

There were 10 wood, steel or concrete single and double-lane bridges along the route, with spans ranging from 5 to 64 meters. Work included reconstruction of the 6 main bridges (Manatee, Big Creek, Jenkins, Mangrove, Quamina, Deadman), upgrading of 4 additional bridges, and installation of a structural monitoring system.

The works, which began in 2020 and were performed under adverse weather and metrological conditions, were completed in 2023, facing various impediments: pandemic Covid19, economic and labour restrictions. The Coastal Plain Highway was officially opened a year later, in July 2023, complying with standards as a result of the supervision activity conducted.

The overall approach to both design and construction management by Politecnica has therefore not only improved the physical infrastructure but also strengthened connectivity by positively impacting national safety, fostering economic and social integration.

Work in Lots 1 and 2 included a wide range of activities aimed at the radical renovation of the road infrastructure.

Concrete pavement (floodway) has been selected for some road sections to aid stormwater drainage during periods of heavy rainfall or flooding events. Floodways, which are designed to be temporarily submerged, are often marked with depth gauges that allow the depth of water to be assessed before attempting to cross. Their use has been a strategic choice to ensure safe connectivity during floods while minimizing construction and maintenance costs.

Structural work also included the construction of six bridges: Manatee in Lot 1 and Jenkins, Quamina, Deadman, Mangrove, and Big Creek in Lot 2. In Lot 1, the existing Soldier, Sibun, and Corn House bridges underwent significant upgrades.