The Cabinet expressed its dissatisfaction with the quality of engineering that leads to rapid deterioration of that 500-foot length of Friars Hill Road, immediately west of Woods Shopping Center.
It noted that hundreds of drivers traverse the short length of highway daily, and the potholes that have re-appeared as a result of the recent rains serve as an irritant and danger to their vehicles. The accumulation of runoff from the paved parking lot and the all-glass building immediately east of the strip of roadway, results in the erosion of the asphalt-filled-in potholes, attesting to poor execution and engineering.
Reportedly, the Cabinet sought the presence of the Director of Public Works, who is himself a trained engineer, to determine why this small piece of roadway continues to plague drivers and pedestrians whenever there is rain. The Director explained that three sources of water have plagued the roadway since its construction.
Sources familiar with the discussion said nevertheless, the Director’s answers were challenged by several Ministers who insisted that the situation could be solved by using a very strong concrete mix, and by diverting the runoff towards the pond or the nearby waterway by inserting piped drains below the surface to channel the accumulating water away from the surface of the low-lying road.
Accordingly, the Cabinet charged the Director with fixing the roadway immediately and to present a long-term plan for Cabinet’s review. He is expected to return to Cabinet next Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
