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Trees with aggressive roots on de Castro St to be ‘replaced’- Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith

- contract for sidewalk rehabilitation to be signed on July 30, 2026
Trees with aggressive roots are to be removed from de Castro Street in Road Town as part of the Sidewalk Improvement Project slated to start there around September. Photo: Facebook
Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism, Honourable Luce D. Hodge-Smith (R4), left, during an interview with Information Officer Angela U. Burns. Photo: Facebook
Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism, Honourable Luce D. Hodge-Smith (R4), left, during an interview with Information Officer Angela U. Burns. Photo: Facebook
Tree roots along the sidewalk on de Castro Street in Road Town, Tortola. Photo: Facebook
Tree roots along the sidewalk on de Castro Street in Road Town, Tortola. Photo: Facebook
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Trees with aggressive roots are to be removed from de Castro Street in Road Town as part of the Sidewalk Improvement Project slated to start there soon, Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism, Honourable Luce D. Hodge-Smith (R4) has stated.

According to Hon Hodge-Smith, during an interview with Information Officer Angela U. Burns, the signing of the contract for the Sidewalk Improvement Project, to be overseen by the Virgin Islands Recovery and Development Agency (RDA), will be done on Thursday, July 30, 2026.

“It’s a major project to be completed. It [the sidewalk] is unsafe. It’s unsafe for pedestrians,” Hon Hodge-Smith said, adding that she has received a lot of complaints about persons getting “tripped up” because of the unevenness of the sidewalk.

She also said the aim is to make the sidewalks wheelchair accessible and up to ADA standards.

Both of the sidewalks on de Castro Street, according to Hon Hodge-Smith, will be widened and made even.

Shade trees to be replaced

One of the requirements of the project will be to remove some of the trees on de Castro Street that have “aggressive roots” and have been damaging the sidewalks and roads.

“We are taking out some of these shade trees, but we are replacing them with shade trees,” Hon Hodge-Smith stated.

According to the Jr Minister and Fourth District Representative, $1.2m from the $100m loan taken from CIBC has been allocated to the Road Town Partnership Programme, under which the Sidewalk Improvement Project falls.

Hodge-Smith said she doesn’t expect the project to start immediately after the signing of the contract; however, she hopes it can begin “shortly”.

Manager of Project Planning and Management at the RDA, Mr Jeremy W. Hodge, who was also part of the ‘on site’ interview, said the project is likely to start in September.

32 Responses to “Trees with aggressive roots on de Castro St to be ‘replaced’- Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith”

  • jack (26/07/2026, 14:00) Like (3) Dislike (15) Reply
    It’s about time yall
  • Lady Lucy (26/07/2026, 15:32) Like (103) Dislike (2) Reply
    Come on, it to late to start messing up the town. The town is filthy and you have done anything, and you're talking about rooting up trees.
  • Stop It (26/07/2026, 15:33) Like (43) Dislike (0) Reply
    That street is the only stretch with natural shade which makes walking the tiniest bit more tolerable. The city manager encouraging ppl to park and ride or walk but yall making walking completely impossible. The sun is insanely hott so a concentration on trees that would provide proper shade should be prioritized. And not no useless palm tree.
  • Green tumb (26/07/2026, 15:47) Like (9) Dislike (3) Reply
    Wow aggressive root they say, side walk trip over they say. And your telling me 1.2 million to fix all of that hmm.
    • Blind Man (26/07/2026, 16:46) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
      @ Green tumb when you read please understand before you come on here to blog its says 1.2 mil has been allocate for the Road Town improvement project it never stated that the side walks will cost 1.2mi.
      • @ blind man (27/07/2026, 23:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        When was the last time any public projects around here stayed within budget and was completed on time? Given the current drought, this project seems madness. Where are all these replacement trees coming from anyway? They won’t be cheap.
  • Wellsah (26/07/2026, 16:00) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    if it wasnt for tourism there would not be an incentive to get any essential maintenance and improvement projects completed
  • WHAT!!! (26/07/2026, 16:15) Like (72) Dislike (0) Reply
    Leave the trees alone, find something useful to do.
    Why do you allow a private business car wash to occupy much needed public parking spots across from Bobbies?
  • Garden Gal (26/07/2026, 16:43) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    Replacement tree suggestion: Red tip photinia (zones 7 and 9): A red-leafed shade tree with a shapely round canopy and white flowers that also tolerates heat and dryness
  • I love the trees (26/07/2026, 17:09) Like (37) Dislike (2) Reply
    The trees have been there for years! They add beauty and shade to the area. I dont get why they need to be removed at all. They want to remove trees completely from town and have it like a concrete jungle. Weren't they looking to remove the trees from the roundabout also?? Please stop it!
    • Reading Is Fundamental (27/07/2026, 08:38) Like (2) Dislike (8) Reply
      so you didn't read the part where they removing the trees because of the roots and putting down new trees? strupes.
      • Reading between the lines is too (27/07/2026, 14:39) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
        You can't read here and see that this just a contract to be handed out, instead of an actual solution to the dire problems in Town?
      • Point doesn't change (27/07/2026, 16:50) Like (32) Dislike (0) Reply
        Leave the trees alone!! Find something else to do with that kind of money!!! These mature trees should be left alone!
  • Well Sah (26/07/2026, 18:06) Like (26) Dislike (0) Reply
    A nice green area, and there are at least 2-3 ways to fix this. This is unbelievable. Lady please go and speak with the ones who built the market and fix it properly. A whole green space?
  • son of the soil (26/07/2026, 18:19) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    No!!!! Leave the trees...everything that we met and still have that creates narural beauty and nostalgia, yall want to change? Go find something else to do. Thats the last remaining "hallway" or "tunnel" of trees we have. Hurricanes messed up the other by althea scatliffe.
  • Lb (26/07/2026, 19:12) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    I sorry I wasted my vote two times on Luz. After 4 years this is what you come up with? Rip up trees that been there for decades? Stop the madness. Build around the trees would be the common sense move. Highlight where the roots are exposed and people could get trip. Make that part of the design. You will rip up the trees then call election and lose and the next winner Mark have to try to rush to find trees to replant? But let’s see who the contractor is that you finding a reason to give money to. Oh and which plant place getting the contract for the plants them.
  • shark (26/07/2026, 20:42) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Leave the trees alone instead of cutting them down help plant more.
  • I agree Ms. Luce (26/07/2026, 20:47) Like (4) Dislike (5) Reply
    All trees with aggressive roots do is the roots keeps growing and will do a lot of damage. I had to a very aggressive tree that was growing in my front yard thanks to my hard headed husband. The roots from the tree grew and put a crack in cistern and was cracking up concrete in the drive way. My father pour some diesel on the base of the tree and it killed off all the roots. Hard headed husband had to spend money he did not really have to have the crack in the cistern and the cracks in the drive way. I did not offer one dime from my pocket to help pay for the damages. Who don’t hear shall feel including my husband.
  • nn (26/07/2026, 21:05) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    Elections are coming; all tricks are being played
  • Sheer Madness (26/07/2026, 22:12) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    Do you really know the purpose of trees? Those trees in that area are of sentimental value to that part of Road Town. Why are you going to destroy them? I say NO. Leave those trees alone and continue on with the beautification and clean up of the capital.
  • hmm (26/07/2026, 23:52) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Campaign money I see
  • Chupees (27/07/2026, 00:51) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Luce girl relax and enjoy your last months in office. Please.Maek done deal with you Be blessed.
  • very sad (27/07/2026, 08:03) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is very sad. I don't see any damage to the pavement and road from these trees. And if there isomer it's minimal/. Why root up nice shade trees? better to find a work around. And there are so many other problems ion Road Town...
  • Reading Is Fundamental (27/07/2026, 08:40) Like (1) Dislike (9) Reply
    ya'll slow or something? they are REPLACING the trees. ya'll know what replace means? they removing those trees to put in new trees. my goodness ya'll lack communication and comprehension skills BADLY.
  • SAMEIE (27/07/2026, 09:33) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    All 12 must GO!!!!
  • BuzzBvi (27/07/2026, 11:01) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    YOu think the one thing that Road Town needs is trees removing!!!!!!!

    Pleeaaaaasaaaase help us someone!!!!!!!!

    Which friend with a tree business needing money. That is all this will be about.
  • Macky (27/07/2026, 12:49) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Leave the trees and let them breathe. We need them for shade, oxygen, and to bring the rain. Concrete will raise the temperature, the roots were there first let them continue. You want sone cookie cutter town like everywhere else but respect our things and leave the nature alone. Paving the ghuts did not help us.
  • guy hill (28/07/2026, 06:46) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    A lot of you who blog and say Road Town dirty and filthy are the same ones who dirty and filthy up Road Town.....And it doesn't matter if you live in Road Town or do business in Road Town......Take a hard observatory look one day if you have time. Paper, cigarette butts, bottles, funky still water in drains, old vehicles, garbage, vice....How they got there? I don't think that the Hon. Ms. Luce Hodge- Smith put or placed them there. Politically messy people from all over Tortola would blame and Target her yes, but She actually met all that and more there. Keeping it real. I said this when Mr. Mark Vanterpool tried a thing for over ten years. Let ALL the people who live in Road Town, do business in Road Town Clean up Road Town and the rest of the dam country.
  • Truth (28/07/2026, 08:47) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    SHE GOTS TO GO, WASTE OF TIME, NEXT!
  • Trees (28/07/2026, 09:59) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Heck no we won't go!!!

    Greenpeace HELP


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