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Oh, the gigantic potholes on the roads! Driving is a nightmare

This truck fell victim to one of the many huge potholes on the road in the Paraquita Bay area. Photo: Team of Reporters
Up to the time of publishing this story the truck was still on the road where it became stuck. Photo: Team of Reporters
Up to the time of publishing this story the truck was still on the road where it became stuck. Photo: Team of Reporters
This patch of road on Waterfront Drive in Road Town, opposite Cutlass Tower, is causing much trouble for motorists. Photo: Team of Reporters
This patch of road on Waterfront Drive in Road Town, opposite Cutlass Tower, is causing much trouble for motorists. Photo: Team of Reporters
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Blame it on hurricanes Irma and Maria, blame it on the floods of August 7 and 8, 2017, blame it on the heavy rains after the storms that cause many flash floods, blame it on raw sewage running in the streets of Road Town, East End and other parts for months, or blame it on the poor workmanship or Chinese equipment that help with the road works.

But motorists have had it with large potholes on the island of Tortola, some on Virgin Gorda and on Jost van Dyke.

But it appears it is worst on Tortola.

Take a drive from Beef Island to West End or even to Carrot Bay and the potholes on the roads have become very disturbing, depressing and sad. Many motorists have now to contend with poor roads to navigate to their homes, getting to work- at least those with jobs- or even just getting around to do some business. The potholes do not discriminate, as they are located in every district- from 1st to 9th.

Contest for the worst potholes

It seems like the worst potholes are in the 4th District where the Minister for Communications and Works, Hon Mark H. Vanterpool, the man responsible for the road infrastructure, represents.

There is a big one across from the Cutlass Tower building in Road Town that many try to avoid by going into the other lane. Don’t talk about those in East End, Long Look, Paraquita Bay, Carrot Bay and Sea Cows Bay or even the coast line of West End and Cane Garden Bay.

Once you pass Road Reef, heading west and in the area of Prospect Reef, the potholes are so big they will swallow you up.

One motorist, who calls himself Joe Joe, said “the roads are so bad, and can you imagine these police still giving man tickets?…It’s ridiculous, no heart, no compassion,” he said.

Many victims of the big potholes

Yesterday November 8, 2017 a truck transporting materials got stuck in a big pothole in the area of Bouncer Bar in Paraquita Bay. As of post time the truck was still on the road in the hole. It is believed the truck is owned by a former political aspirant.

One can imagine how difficult it is for emergency vehicles to get to their respective destinations. A half an hour delay could result in lives being lost, in the case of a medical emergency, or properties destroyed, in the case of a fire.

But why should we worry about the big potholes that will soon swallow automobiles and pedestrians? After all it was Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) who told the world that we are “back on our feet and open for business”.

Then it means these shameful huge potholes are the new norm now that we are “back on our feet”!

28 Responses to “Oh, the gigantic potholes on the roads! Driving is a nightmare”

  • name please (09/11/2017, 17:15) Like (1) Dislike (7) Reply
    So who that truck belong to?
  • Marie (09/11/2017, 17:41) Like (23) Dislike (2) Reply
    Our vehicle got stuck yesterday in Josiah's Bay in a big hole going to the beach right before the well. Can't wait for government to do everything. I paid for a yard of rocks to be dumped there tomorrow. We all have to chip in to help get on our feet again.
    • pat (09/11/2017, 21:07) Like (17) Dislike (7) Reply
      Yea we are back on we feet he means from hiding from hurricane irma in our closest or bathrooms or running downstairs to be rescued

      What a moo moo premier we got yall
    • Tadow (09/11/2017, 22:02) Like (16) Dislike (7) Reply

      Chip in my a$$. They need to stop thiefing the dam money so that there can be money to run this country. So you continue to be an a$$ @#/& and spend the little you have while they are pork fat with what we put in the treasury.

      • Marie (10/11/2017, 08:27) Like (17) Dislike (2) Reply
        @Tadow, so if I wait for government to fix the big pothole where I live, I would be a prisoner for months and can't get in or out. This is not about spending the little money I have, this is about survival by any means necessary. People like you who wait on government to do everything better not be holding your breath.
  • NICK (09/11/2017, 18:14) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    I don't understand why nothing is done to fix these problems.just driving to work is depressing.
  • Snag gle Puss (09/11/2017, 18:17) Like (33) Dislike (0) Reply
    This ain’t a pot hole, “Dis a Sink Hole” short cut to Australia
  • one eye (09/11/2017, 18:19) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    have you seen those in Purcell? and the pool of water dread
  • See (09/11/2017, 18:52) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    and dozens of PWD employess just limin in groups of 6 or 8 by their trucks doing absoloutly NOTHING . Getting paid I assume . SMH
  • BOTTOM LINE (09/11/2017, 21:02) Like (24) Dislike (5) Reply
    Mark and the ndp should be damm shame the uk must step in and take over theses islands
  • *Hmm (09/11/2017, 21:31) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    As smith proudly announces we back on our feet, guess this the newest tourist attraction the BVI will now be promoting. Beautiful blue waters, white sandy beaches & crater filled roads! sure to give you an experience you won't forget
  • Family Affairs (10/11/2017, 07:22) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    the truck belong to a Smith and a Smith is the premier so maybe the Smiths should get together and work it out lol
  • asia (10/11/2017, 08:41) Like (5) Dislike (15) Reply
    @Bottom Line, What we need is an entire new set of government leaders who can run this place efficiently, and find a solution, not the UK taking over completely. We would be again back in slavery days and your good name won't mean dog crap. They like to hear people like you talk foolishness and take us back 400 years.
  • Hmmmm (10/11/2017, 08:41) Like (14) Dislike (3) Reply
    Why can they ask Trinidad or Guyana for help when it come to ROADS? They have some of the best Engineers around in the Caribbean especially Trinidad. But then again the had a Trinidadian firm here sometime last year but the "Them From Hay" didn't listen to the people so the people pack up and went there way....PWP cannot fix these roads and they will forever be this way. Get a proper Road specialist to work on these roads. The have water lines that damage all over before the blin them off the get them running onto the road which adds to the problem.
    • hip hop (10/11/2017, 10:33) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
      Have u ever been to Trinidad or Guyana, I have the roads there are just as bad!
      • @ hip hop (10/11/2017, 14:27) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
        you got to be crazy as you have never been on those islands best road indeed
      • Hmmmm (10/11/2017, 14:53) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
        Both country have the fair share of pot holes....but these here is live living is a remote part of a country where no development will happen anytime soon..... Plus if you read what i wrote i never said anything about they not having bad roads......from airport to town here is bad roads.....from town to west end is bad roads not pot holes i talking about very very bad roads.....bad design poor drainage etc. people can see for themselves.
  • No Backhoes? (10/11/2017, 12:09) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    What? We got no backhoes on Island? Government doesn't even have enough money to put a local driver to work in each district to maintain roads until they can be fixed? Not even enough foresight to support their own people- the ones who are really rebuilding this island and need the vehicles that are left to keep working.

    This is depraved indefference.
  • Shameless (10/11/2017, 14:01) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    @Marie

    After they done collected all our tax payers money and cannot give account for it. you want us to spend more. Our insurance premiums gone up thats where my extra money would go. The government need to tell the people the truth and let them decide where we go from here.
  • Traveler (10/11/2017, 16:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The roads inguyana is far better than those in tortola.theyshould ask for help from guyana.get those in office out,get new ones in..I am so sorry for the ppl in BVI..that lots of relatives living and working there.
  • BVI Lover (10/11/2017, 20:13) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Crap roads, bad drainage, poor sewage systems, etc, etc, etc. yes get back on your feet tolans. Nothing has changed
  • justice (10/11/2017, 20:53) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    absent govt officials letting things go to hell so that the aid/finance comes and then they can take it and give it to their friends to do a bad job again and again ,,,move along... no change here apart from them seeing an even bigger pay day than ususal at our expense
  • Engineer (10/11/2017, 21:25) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Guyana has the best roads in the southern hemesphere and we talkin about thousand of miles because they have excellent road building engineers lets take some notes from their book pls
  • E. Leonard (10/11/2017, 23:25) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Without pavement condition index(PCI) information and from a windshield view of the roads, my view is that many of the roads need to be fully reconstructed. They need to be designed, constructed and maintained to carry the heaviest loads that will used them. Heavy equipment and trucks contribute the accelerated deterioration of roads. Studies have concluded that one pass of a garbage truck is equivalent to approx the passage of 1000 vehicles. Additionally, proper drainage must be an integral part of the design and construction of roads. Poor drainage is a critical contributing factor to the premature failure of roads. The roads must be designed to facilitate drainage runoff, avoiding ponding on the road surface.

    Moreover, no doubt, the roads need extensive reconstruction work. However, in the interim, the potholes need to be patched. At least the throw and go method, ie, filling the pothole and compacting, needs to be employed. In some instances skin patches can be used. Trucks with hot/cold mix, basic hand tools (shovels, tampers, rakes) and personnel can go a long way in patching potholes that will help alleviate the stress of the motoring public. Outside of being a nuisance, potholes damage vehicles, increase operating cost, cause accidents......etc.
  • Reader (11/11/2017, 01:52) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Vino you are the best..good read I like the first paragraph


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