It's a 30 million dollar project which will take the Phillip Goldson Airport to truly an international standard. Work on the ex[am[amsopm project started last tear and construction should conclude by the end of this year. It's a project like no other and will introduce Belize to technology not seen before. Today Keith Swift was at the project to find out how the technology used here it can also change the roads you drive on.
Keith Swift Reporting,
These pieces of construction equipment behind me might not look like much but its actually a mobile asphalt plant and it promises to revolutionize the way roads and streets are paved in Belize.
Larry Flowers, ADL Director
''The machine itself is designed to make asphalt. The way roads are being built in Belize is not with the best technology or newest technology. The asphalt does a mixture of aggregates and produces a much higher quality that gives you a much longer wearing surface."
The "state of the art" plant has not been set up yet. In fact it arrived in these pieces last week. It costs more than 2 million dollars and it was bought primarily for paving the extension to the airport's runway
Larry Flowers,
"Actually the plant was bought to do the overlay on the runway and that is scheduled for later on this year, sometime in September or August of this year."
And after that, Flowers says this $2 million baby can change the roads we drive on. The devil is in the details. This is how regular roads are paved; within tar and sand but with this machine, that problem is eliminated. He says the machine can change the roads we drive on.
Larry Flowers,
"We're hoping that when we are finished with the runway, the overlay, we'll be to build better streets and highways in the country of Belize. It could change it if we are allowed to use the asphalt which as I said is higher quality than the regular chip seal being used."
He says there will be scarce need for repairs like this
Larry Flowers,
"The asphalt is designed for much higher strength, it's a thicker surface, its better quality than is used within the system so you should much more wear surface quality than the regular chip-seal."
The airport contract was awarded to ADL, Airport Development Limited, which is a joint venture between Larry Flowers and Albert Reimer.
