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Asphalt paving to begin in Sea Cows Bay this Friday

-first asphalt layer will stabilise roadway & significantly reduce dust
Section of the road in Sea Cows Bay where road works are being done. Photo: Ministry of Communications and Works
Minister for Communications and Works Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5) said this initial phase is specifically designed to address the dust, uneven road surfaces, and travel challenges currently affecting residents, businesses, and road users along this corridor. Photo: Ministry of Communications and Works
Minister for Communications and Works Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5) said this initial phase is specifically designed to address the dust, uneven road surfaces, and travel challenges currently affecting residents, businesses, and road users along this corridor. Photo: Ministry of Communications and Works
SEA COWS BAY, Tortola, VI- Relief will soon be brought to residents, businesses, and motorists who live, work and travel through Sea Cows Bay as road works enter a new phase.

The Ministry of Communications and Works announced in a July 7, 2026, press release that the asphalt paving works on the Sea Cows Bay road are scheduled to begin on Friday, July 10, 2026.

The first three-inch asphalt layer will be laid in the vicinity of the Anglican Church and progress westward. 

Measures to bring relief

Minister for Communications and Works Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5) said this initial phase is specifically designed to address the dust, uneven road surfaces, and travel challenges currently affecting residents, businesses, and road users along this corridor.

"We understand the considerable inconvenience that residents, businesses, and motorists have experienced throughout this phase of the project, particularly due to dust and traffic disruptions…While some construction-related challenges will remain as work progresses, we are delivering on our commitment to provide meaningful relief.” 

The asphalt will be laid in two phases, with the first geared at stabilising the roadway and significantly reducing the dust that has affected daily life and travel in the area. 

According to Hon Rymer, a two-layer paving approach will be used to ensure construction of a durable, high-quality roadway capable of serving the Virgin Islands for many years. 

More than a temporary solution

Following the first layer, a two-inch final surface course will be applied to achieve the finished roadway standard. 

“Our objective is not simply to provide a temporary solution, but to deliver a modern, resilient road network that will benefit residents for decades to come. Achieving that goal requires us to address critical elements such as drainage, road foundations, and other supporting infrastructure alongside the paving works.”

The Minister expressed appreciation to the public for their continued patience and cooperation as the Ministry balances the need for timely delivery with its commitment to quality and long-term value.

The Ministry of Communication and Works explained that while the commencement of asphalt paving will provide substantial relief, motorists are advised that the initial paving layer may not immediately extend to the final curb height or roadway width in some areas. This is necessary to accommodate the ongoing civil works that form part of the overall road improvement project.

28 Responses to “Asphalt paving to begin in Sea Cows Bay this Friday”

  • ronnie (08/07/2026, 08:04) Like (37) Dislike (3) Reply
    Asphalt ??? What happened to the concrete. There was no point in digging up perfectly good asphalt to replace it with asphalt again. When will this place learn to do anything properly ?
    • Citizen (09/07/2026, 15:30) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      if they use concrete the road will take 2 years like the one up east did
  • smh (08/07/2026, 08:05) Like (27) Dislike (1) Reply
    So you're telling us "THE PEOPLE" that you all will lay asphalt ontop of the loose compacted dirt instead of casting a layer of concrete and then asphalt ontop of the concrete? GOSH MAN!! Can't we get anything done right on this island.
    • a SMH (08/07/2026, 15:27) Like (20) Dislike (1) Reply
      what we the people of the 3rd need to do is block that same road in protest until they reverse course and pour concrete on that road. Asphalt on top of dirt will lead us right back to where we were with all the potholes.
      • @ a SMH (08/07/2026, 18:56) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
        You're so right about. I don't understand what kind of engineers we have in this place and who does actually approve these backward thinking
    • reply to smh (10/07/2026, 10:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      I honestly thought they would have taken that rout. Lay concrete and then asphalt
  • Gratitude (08/07/2026, 08:20) Like (2) Dislike (26) Reply
    Thank you hon Fraser!
  • Hmmm. (08/07/2026, 09:08) Like (20) Dislike (0) Reply
    I am wondering if the just put set the Road base properly and firm and put 3 - 3 and half inches of concrete on it properly is thats not better and much more durable...Asphalt is what giving us all these Pot holes. Look how nice that piece of road they just did next to Noel Lloyd Park done with just concrere alone...
  • useless (08/07/2026, 10:56) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    When will you guys finish that road in upper Long Bush up by the reservoir. People can't get to their home without struggle and damage to their vehicles. Workers digging roads without any plan of when it will be repaired. On top of it they dig it up but don't even level it so that it is at least drivable. Can you imagine driving on a road with loose dirt and huge stones. Poor planning no empathy, just nasty work.
  • Guilt (08/07/2026, 10:59) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    So tell me who paying for all the suspension issues and front ends that residents now have to pay for because of this project. You damage or vehicles and then want us to smile when you fix the issue you dug up
  • CHATGPT SAYS (08/07/2026, 13:51) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    For a high-use road with heavy truck traffic, you must completely avoid paving over loose rocks.

    Heavy commercial trucks exert massive axle loads that will instantly displace an unstable stone base, causing the asphalt to cave in, rut, and shatter within weeks.To support the weight of semi-trucks, delivery vehicles, and garbage trucks, you must build a engineered, multi-layered pavement structure.
  • Road construction (08/07/2026, 13:53) Like (15) Dislike (1) Reply
    At least 3 layers sub base course, base course top course involving aggregate compressed or concrete , compressed bitumen coated stone, top coat asphalt . What are our amateurs up to!
  • BuzzBvi (08/07/2026, 15:19) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    https://www.britannica.com/summary/road
  • PLEASE!!!!!! (08/07/2026, 16:09) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    PLEASE START THIS PAVING AFTER 9AM, NOT AT 730/8 IN THE MORNING WHEN THE MASS OF THE WORKING PUBLIC ARE TRYING TO BE TO WORK FOR 830/9..........PLEASSSSSSEEEEEEE!!!!!! LET US BE CONSIDERATE AND USE COMMON SENSE!!!!!
    • stupid (10/07/2026, 11:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      The work needs to be done between 10pm and 4:30am, less disruption of traffic.
  • Poor Planning (08/07/2026, 16:42) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    The more things change in the BVI the more they remain the same all to the expense of the taxpayers of this country. We all know that Kye don’t have the skill set for this ministry to begin with and that he only reads what his PS presents to him. Secondly, the engineers at PWD is a waste of time. Everybody has a job, doing absolutely nothing and collecting a paycheck every fortnight. A massive road project like this required skill engineering to ensure that the road was done right and that the end product is sustainable for the next 10 - 15 years. Putting asphalt on the road again is a blind man’s mistake and will eventually cost the taxpayers to have to resurface the whole thing as soon as the rainy season sets in. As a people who are conscious of our environment, I think we should be able to make far better decisions than these.
    • @poor planning (08/07/2026, 23:08) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
      Excellent commentary. Unfortunately someone may be getting a kickback from this job.
      Elections coming eh, let us wait and see what happens when the rains come.
    • Poor Planning agreed 100% (09/07/2026, 03:37) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Election is closed and their main focus is to put millions in a few of their supporters Pocket. Asphalt has proven to be undurable, Asphalt means by January more Pot holes. Agreed with the people who think concrete is a better, cheaper and more durable way... Cheaper in the fact that don't have to worry about fixing pot holes every year..
  • HMMM (08/07/2026, 16:47) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    I gave that road 2 months before you start to see pot holes, they not doing it right to start so watch out...
  • rebate (08/07/2026, 16:47) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    The so called politicians need to give each and every driver a $1000 rebate for all the damage they have caused by digging up the roads NOT fixing them properly, then digging them up again for water line repairs. If any of these politicians had half a brain cell the roads would have been fixed DECADES AGO.
  • 911 (08/07/2026, 16:50) Like (0) Dislike (4) Reply
    only because wilock made a video clip they wake up
  • please (08/07/2026, 18:05) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Where are the drains? This is a high prone flood area . Sea Cows Bay and Hannahs need drainage not water running on the road . Please lord help us
    • Solution to Pot holes. (09/07/2026, 03:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      We need a proper solution to eliminate Pot holes and give us durable roads, especially the new Roads we are doing...Maybe a mixture, a blend of concrete and Asphalt mix together or just nicely cast concrete on the hard compact service... Accepting the fact, the evidence that Asphalt alone is not durable, especially with the lack of proper drainage, water always find away to undermined the Asphalt..
  • Set ah lime seed (08/07/2026, 21:24) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    What did CSC say?… awwww shiggidy! They put down rocks and rolled it, then put down road base and rolled that but they kept wetting it twice a day while we drove on it which created the craters. Now you want to lay asphalt on that for us to have a decent surface for 2 months? I always told my kids when they were growing up “if you gon do something, do it right” wouldn’t it have been better to have concrete then asphalt the road? Raise the road so water runs off into drainage so we don’t have flooded roads? Will the manholes be level with the asphalt so there aren’t dips in the road like in front of gov’t house? We are sick of the same oke-doke. Support local contractors so they can do a load of tripe! Bring in the Chinese and get proper roads because we the tax payers deserve it. I said what I said
  • If you asphalt it (09/07/2026, 06:18) Like (2) Dislike (10) Reply
    You get another contract next month , concrete properly and it’ll last for years , not what greedy contractors want and obviously our men handing out the contracts won’t get a regular bulging white envelope!
  • Just Sayin (10/07/2026, 21:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    We wait 2 year for scb Road to be done, yet it is the only stretch of road WITHOUT proper curbed stones or sidewalk. So you know what happens...the road over time flattens out and cracks...more pot holes. OR, they will not come along and dig it up to install the curbestones AFTER the asphalt is complete....Ridiculous...stupid, vote loosing plain dumb.


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