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New VI asphalt plant to significantly reduce road paving costs

-Plant expected to be commissioned by June 2023 according to Public Works Director Jeremy W. Hodge
April 1st, 2023 | Tags: asphalt plant BVI road road works paving roads
The new Asphalt plant of the Government of the Virgin Islands (VI) is now on schedule to be commissioned by the end of the second quarter of 2023 according to the Director of the Public Works Department, Mr. Jeremy Hodge. Photo: GIS/Facebook
Mr Hodge in a release from the Government information service said the technical adjustments that would enable the commissioning of the plant was sent forward to the plant’s manufacturer, and as such by June of this year the facility should be operational. Photo: GIS/File
Mr Hodge in a release from the Government information service said the technical adjustments that would enable the commissioning of the plant was sent forward to the plant’s manufacturer, and as such by June of this year the facility should be operational. Photo: GIS/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - The new Asphalt plant of the Government of the Virgin Islands (VI) is now on schedule to be commissioned by the end of the second quarter of 2023 according to the Director of the Public Works Department, Mr. Jeremy W. Hodge.

Mr Hodge in a release from the Government information service said the technical adjustments that would enable the commissioning of the plant was sent forward to the plant’s manufacturer, and as such by June of this year the facility should be operational.

 “In 2022, we tried to get the plant commissioned during the fourth quarter, however in accordance with the contractual agreement with AMMANN [plant manufacturer], they found that further configurations had to be made as a result of the decided staging location of the plant.” 

Mr. Hodge added that the plant is currently located in a quarry, and that he is grateful to the proprietors of the area for allowing its operations.  He said another location was being sought, as the quarry is extremely dusty while adding that the search began in 2021 for a site for the plant, as the department’s compound was too small to accommodate operations.

Cost to pave roads will see decrease 

Mr. Hodge said that some of the auxiliary equipment attained in support of the plant were five tanks of oil, where one tank is the equivalent of fifteen of the twenty-yard Public Works trucks; a paver; a roller and a milling machine used to recycle the asphalt.

He said getting the plant up and going is in the department’s best interest as currently, one, twenty-yard truck of asphalt cost about $12,000. 

He added that paving one mile of road twenty-four feet wide, three inches thick, would cost north of $690,000, "Having our own plant will cost the government one-third of that and will allow the department to work year-round on our roads,” Mr. Hodge said.

Minister for Works, Hon Kye M. Rymer speaking in the House of Assembly in February 2023 said once the plant is commissioned, the government will be carrying out a phased road programme to address areas in need of repair and resurfacing.

11 Responses to “New VI asphalt plant to significantly reduce road paving costs”

  • Engineer (01/04/2023, 11:23) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    One mile of twenty- four inch wide asphalt is for single track use by moped riders only.
    • @Engineer (01/04/2023, 19:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      That has to be a mistake. This is why the Director of Public Works needs to be an engineer so tgat he/she has the confidence and knowledge to challenge when being given a 6 for a 9.
  • big sht (01/04/2023, 11:27) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    Some old refurbished equipment from the 90's
  • HMMM (01/04/2023, 11:34) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Then you will he how cost of something increase lol
  • E. Leonard (01/04/2023, 12:41) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    All BVI taxpayers are probably excited that the cost for laying down a lane mile of asphalt will diminish with the commissioning of the Government’s new asphalt plant. However, will the design, construction, and quality of the roads improve, will the lifecycle of roads length/increase, have the operators and maintenance staff been trained on plant operations by manufacturer, will Public Works maintain an inventory on hand/island of long lead time critical parts that are not available through just in time delivery, can vehicle owners look forward to reduce operating cost, what warranties, if any, is included in the purchase of the plant.

    • Road Engineer (01/04/2023, 19:59) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      A new plant is not going to make a heap of different if PWD continue to overlay or seal coat a fail road. As you know and have advocated, the fix for a failed road is reconstruction. Anything else is throwing good money after bad, exercising the continued frustration of weary road users..Design, construct, maintain and repair the damn roads properly. The engineers at Public Works that tolerate the poor quality is embarrassing the engineering profession. If the non-engineers in the ministry is the problem, please let the engineers do what they were trained to do and hold them accountable.
  • Tax Payer (01/04/2023, 13:21) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    I hope they dig up all old bad road fix it proper with people who have sense of fixing road an not just any body throwing tar leave it for vehicles to press, an law should pass when water an sewage , an then telecom company dig up road they pave it back way it was not just throw sand in hole
  • class mate (01/04/2023, 20:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This what happens when ar yu go way and don’t come back home, loving the country from afar. We have to settle for what we are getting. Good questions. Can Mr. Hodge brief us with some answers to soften our concerns.
  • Roxanne (01/04/2023, 20:29) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    https://www.aexcelcorp.com/blog/eco-friendly-traffic-paint/3-ways-asphalt-and-concrete-are-affecting-the-planet#:~:text=They%20Generate%20Harmful%20Atmospheric%20Emissions,are%20released%20into%20the%20atmosphere.
  • Just like the police boats? (03/04/2023, 11:33) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Great! More shiny objects for the government to purchase! They will pave about 100 feet of road (24 inces wide) and then the thing break and end up in the bushes for 20 years (check out the old asphalt plant across from Old Yard in Virgin Gorda - for real).


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