MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS officials are anxiously awaiting a report today which could determine whether or not a fissure discovered along the Wharf Road in The City, following a pounding by Tropical Storm Tomas, would require major repairs and possibly cause a shutdown of the area for an indefinite period.
Divers earlier this week found a number of openings under the busy street including two holes in an underwater area described as the “vertical retaining structure”.
Chief Technical Officer Nash Lovell confirmed to the WEEKEND NATION yesterday that his department was awaiting a report from a coastal engineer to determine the severity of the damage, which surfaced last week following the passage of Tomas last Friday night and Saturday.
It is believed that the strong surge waves caused by Tomas might have weakened the damaged area.
“We have an active investigation going on and we have seen damage in the drains and two holes in the vertical retaining structure.
“We hope it is not as bad as the worst case scenario,” Lovell said.
Already, the closure of the Wharf Road, one of the busiest arteries in the City has been causing gridlock in and around Bridgetown, with traffic stretching for long distances.
As a result, the Police Force has been deploying officers to coordinate the flow of traffic, especially around early morning and evening periods.
Minister of Public Works and Transport John Boyce is expected to tour the affected area on Monday before speaking to the press about the latest development.
