15 June 2011
Transport and Technical Services (TTS) has developed a programme of highways maintenance projects that it plans to undertake in 2011 and a provisional list of work running up until 2017. The 3 main projects this year are the resurfacing of Commercial Buildings, Beaumont Hill and L’Avenue de la Reine Elizabeth II (Airport Road).
The TTS budget for road maintenance is increasing over the next 3 years, from £1.7m in 2011 to £3m in 2013. The Island’s main roads are a costly but important asset to maintain and the decision on which projects are in the programme and when they are undertaken is very carefully worked out.
All the roads selected for the 2011 to 2013 programme have been calculated to have the highest priority for treatment, validated by condition assessments completed by highways inspectors. A three year embargo on trenching (five years for the most important roads from 2012) is enforced after resurfacing and so some projects have been delayed to ensure utility companies are able to carry out their planned infrastructure improvements.
TTS recognises that highways maintenance works can be disruptive to the travelling public and adjacent residents and businesses. It is for this reason (in line with TTS Guidelines for the Management of Streetworks) that discussions will take place with stakeholders during the planning phase of all major projects. Where possible, these are taken into consideration when determining site project dates and working hours, whilst trying to balance the sometimes conflicting requirements of road-users, with those of residents and businesses.
As well as this planned maintenance, TTS also has to undertake ‘reactive maintenance.’ This is where a quick repair needs to be made for small defects such as potholes, the vast majority of which are detected by highways engineers, who routinely inspect the roads, or by notification from the public. This currently costs about £360,000 per year.
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