Switching over to the Phillip Goldson Highway - we asked Moody about a trouble area which has been repaired many times over the years, but keeps breaking up. That's the area between the mile 3 roundabout and the Haulover bridge.
He explained that it's the peat foundation:
Jo
"Phillip Goldson Highway between miles 3 and four. You guys paved it and it's breaking up again."
Julius Espat, MIDH Minister
"Phillip Goldson Highway from Mile 3 to 4? I can't give you a response on that, but we'll look at it."
He only had to look back from atop the Haulover to see the instability on the highway leading up to the bridge. The Chief Engineer says it's an inevitability due to soil composition:
Jules Vasquez
"You all have paid to fix it. And critics say even PUP critics say that, you know, in the most recent job you did, isn't a satisfactory job. And it done bi bruk up. Your response?"
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer - MIDH
"All right. So as you are aware, that entire era from the Benny's roundabout that we're currently constructing, all the way up to the Haulover Bridge is susceptible to consolidation because of the type of material that is there presently."
"I believe I had mentioned to you before that within that area, we have approximately 45 feet of peat material, which is just basically black mud. And we are experiencing similar situations at the roundabout that we're currently building. As you have seen that we have installed a number of piles there. And to my surprise, we had at least 15 panels that disappeared."
"AND THOSE initial pile lengths were 45 foot. And we added on an additional 25 feet of piles. And dollied those piles down, and they went down another 20 feet. So you're looking at approximately 65 feet of peat, just at the roundabout."
"So whatever we have done from Benny's Roundabout to Haulover bridge is basically yes, we know that it's only a temporary measure, because the ideal solution for that area would be to pile the entire two kilometer section from Benny's roundabout to tie in to what we have done at Haulover bridge."
