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The worst road? Even trailers no match for water filled potholes

The trailer truck stuck on the road at Free Bottom, Tortola on January 31, 2018. Photo: Team of Reporters
This road at Free Bottom, between Qwomar Trading Limited and Crystal's Night Club, has been in a deplorable state for over a year. Photo: Team of Reporters
This road at Free Bottom, between Qwomar Trading Limited and Crystal's Night Club, has been in a deplorable state for over a year. Photo: Team of Reporters
An uncovered drain at the side of the road between Quomar Trading Limited and Crystal's Night Club in Free Bottom. Photo: Team of Reporters
An uncovered drain at the side of the road between Quomar Trading Limited and Crystal's Night Club in Free Bottom. Photo: Team of Reporters
PURCELL ESTATE, Tortola, VI- The Junior Minister for Trade and Investment Promotions and Representative for the Eighth District, Hon Marlon A. Penn, told residents a few days ago that he believes East End has the worst roads on Tortola.

But his deplorable roads might be in competition with a small piece of road in Free Bottom, which some say could be the worst and most ignored strip of road.

Even before hurricanes Irma and Maria damaged much of the infrastructure in September 2017 the road between Qwomar Trading Ltd., and Crystal's Night Club and Sports Bar was very bad. The road is filled with potholes as deep as two to three feet, filled with muddy water, and broken sidewalks that create a hazard for motorists, pedestrians and even persons on motorcycles.

Trailer stuck in mud & water filled pothole

For the second time in four weeks, a trailer truck was stuck in the mud while trying to back into the new BVI Ports Authority storage area between Qwomar Trading Ltd and the night club.

Over the past few months, many residents have been stuck on the sidewalk in holes while trying to manouvere their vehicles. Pedestrians also had to endure muddy water being splashed on them by passing motorists.

Yesterday, January 31, 2018 around 5:00 P.M., traffic in the area had to be diverted because of a trailer truck that was stuck in a water filled pothole. This caused much distress for motorists in the middle of rush hour as residents where trying to get home from work.

It is unknown when the road will be fixed as the poor road conditions have been that way for almost a year.

Sixth District Representative Hon Alvera Maduro-Caines did not respond to our request for a comment on the road situation.

23 Responses to “The worst road? Even trailers no match for water filled potholes”

  • Suspension wrecked (01/02/2018, 13:29) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thank you Vino for bringing this strip of road to the media. The people who reside in and patrons of businesses in that area are going through a lot traversing that road. Hopefully the representative will see
  • DON Q (01/02/2018, 13:48) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    for real I hate that area
  • wize up (01/02/2018, 14:00) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
    another hurricane season upon us: someone needs to remind the politicians that our territory is in a hurricane zone and set a side funds: desaster preparedness is not simply a level of conversation because if you look around we see how real hurricane devastation is: I personally think if the governor had continued his dealings following the hurricane this territory might be a bit further along the recovery path but our power hungry politicians jump the gun
    • @ wize up (01/02/2018, 14:32) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      the sad part is the road was that way even before the hurricanes
      • wize up (01/02/2018, 16:43) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
        @ wize up: you had to remind me; I looking to purchase a helicopter!!!!
  • oh (01/02/2018, 14:20) Like (8) Dislike (6) Reply

    So there are no positive stories around the islands?

    • @ oh (01/02/2018, 15:36) Like (14) Dislike (5) Reply
      Yes there is,,,,,,,, next election we riding the country of the NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY. NOW GO SMOKE THAT
    • wize up (01/02/2018, 17:25) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      @ oh: are you blogging from the territory?
  • E. Leonard (01/02/2018, 15:13) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Roads design, construction, inspection, and maintenance is expensive; it cost even more when it is poorly designed, constructed, inspected and maintained. Assuming that they are properly designed (including proper drainage), constructed and inspected, low cost periodic preventative maintenance, ie, seal coat, overlay.......etc is critical for good functionality, rideability(serviceability), reducing accidents, reducing vehicle operating costs, extending road life, reducing on operating costs, slowing deterioration…………etc.


    Poor road maintenance is equivalent to disinvestment; it sacrifices the initial investment in road construction. The cost of rehabilitating, restoring and reconstructing poorly maintained roads is typically more than the maintenance cost would have been. How long should roads last?


    Roads in developed countries typically have a designed life of approx 15-30 years, with timely maintenance and repair. OK. BVI roads may not last 15 years before reconstruction but they surely can be properly designed, constructed and maintained to last more than 4-6 years. Techniques, procedures, practices, processes, programmes …….etc exist to construct properly functioning roads. These factors need to be adopted/adapted to attain better roads. Further, a major contributing cause for premature road failure is poor drainage. Without proper drainage, road construction is a poor investment and not good stewardship of taxpayers $$$$. Further, the trailer issue highlights another contributing cause to premature road failure——-road classification.


    The BVI has no limitation on what vehicle or equipment can use what road. All vehicles, ie, tractor trailer, garbage trucks, cars, SUVs, trucks, heavy construction equipment.......etc can use any road. The roads are not designed to safely carry the heaviest loads using them. Consequently, heavy equipment contributes to the accelerates deterioration of roads, resulting in premature failure. For example, studies have concluded that one pass of a heavily loaded garbage trucks equivates to approximately 1000 vehicle passes.


    Moreover, proper road construction should be for the use and benefit of both residents and visitors. However, tourism is 1/2 of the economic twin pillars, providing direct, indirect and induce benefits for workers and businesses. As such, road infrastructure is vital for tourism and needs proper investment and management. The deteriorated road conditions in East End and Long Look, Purcell.......etc speaks for itself. There seems to be a competition as to which location has the worst road. Which location has the best roads.
    • Yes (01/02/2018, 20:15) Like (0) Dislike (8) Reply
      You an Engineer boss? or just blowing smoke? Seems you fancy yourself as an expert on everything.
  • facts (01/02/2018, 15:37) Like (41) Dislike (1) Reply
    Mark has failed us
  • wize up (01/02/2018, 16:45) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    @ facts: don’t let the shoppers hear you
    • Reply (01/02/2018, 19:10) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      For real another food sale
    • No more drama (01/02/2018, 20:41) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
      The NDP has failed us. The minister for Finance and the minister for Communication and works should be fired from their positions. The others should be put on probation.
  • Fran (01/02/2018, 18:23) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    People are going on vacation and not coming back. This is true, Irma started it and the sad situations here pushed some over the edge. I love my home, but things seem so bleak now...... I don’t know. I cannot fix my home, car and property. I tried applying for grants and loans to no avail because I am a senior citizen. I too will go away and stay with family abroad. I can’t fight any more. The rich get richer and we elders die...Tears.
  • @facts (01/02/2018, 20:19) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    You know a free case of Schafer and a few Niagara water and you will be voting for him again. Scatter from chatting piss when you know you still love the Anguillan with his tight clothes and nightly Spanish bar charades.
  • bojan (01/02/2018, 21:45) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Here is where the problem lies at PWD all the so call engineers full of &hit because there is about 3 of them all they do is talk and no action Ross went on vacation and every thing had stop he is not an engineer but its he the one making things happen check that them other engineers need to take on some section of this island and be doing something to rebuild this country.we have engineers on paper not on the ground that needs to be looked into.
  • big question (01/02/2018, 22:15) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Where is the short lady with the bag of seasoning?
  • Tom dick n Harry (02/02/2018, 06:37) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    The only hope is, once it's on VINO it well be addressed
  • Sick And Tired (02/02/2018, 20:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    After hurricanes Irma and Marie .the road in Nottingham estate sink .the vehicles cannot go up or down and the sad thing about this is that we have a very small steep road that we have to travel on .when the rain fall vehicle are skidding like crazy .it very dangerous .we don't know when the minister of communication is going to send out the men to fix it .they know about the road only when something seriously happen on that small steep road they will do it.
  • jah know (05/02/2018, 11:19) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Even before the hurricanes this road needed a lot of care but the politicians didn't seemed to care...


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