When is a street more than a street? When it's Albert Street, of course! That's because in the national conscious, Albert Street is more than just another road, it's the road, the main vein that cuts right through the heart of the busiest commercial center in the country. But for years, Albert Street has looked much like the city it represents, weather worn and beaten. But hope is on the way. At its monthly meeting on Tuesday, the City Council announced plans to pave Albert Street. But it's not just a patch job, it's a makeover. We found out more today.
Anthony Michael, Deputy Mayor
"When you talk of Belize City and you mention Albert and Regent, even the people from out district know which street you are talking about."
And what you would be talking about is one of the worst streets in Belize City. It's so bad the patches for the holes, now have their own holes. But what if this street were like this? The airport road - the smooth and effortless surface, as close as you'll come to a magic carpet ride in Belize. Well according to the councilor in charge of paving city streets Anthony Michael, this is soon going to look like this.
Anthony Michael,
"We're in the process of negotiating with a contractor in resurfacing
Albert and Regent Street, not with the chip and seal. It is the way the new airport road has been done which is guaranteed to ten years without a pothole. And if a pothole should form within that period of time, the said contractor will do the repairs necessary, free of cost to the council and the residents of Belize City."
Jules Vasquez,
With all that, it has to be more expensive than the conventional means of street paving which is chip and seal.
Anthony Michael,
"Well not really. We had gotten some quotation for chip and seal and by doing it this way, it will be far cheaper. And the reason for it is that Albert and Regent Streets have a base already and by doing it chip and seal, the street would have to be totally ripped up and filled again and then do the compaction and go through the entire process. The way Albert and Regent Streets, because it has a base, this equipment would just come right over, take into consideration all the lowest spots and stuff, so we will see one level road going right across. So doing it this way will definitely be cheaper, more beautiful, more cleaner, and the durability of it is far longer than the chip and seal."
Jules Vasquez,
How will you all afford to pave these two streets? It still has to be over a mile of road.
Anthony Michael,
"It is 1.1 mile of road and we are going to do it for almost $850,000, that's what we are looking at."
And more than giving this battered street a full restoration, Michael says it should increase tourist traffic in the city.
Anthony Michael,
"We want to promote tourism into Belize. When we came into office, the concern from businessmen and from local entrepreneurs, hair braiders and stuff, is that the tourists they come into Belize and they go to the Maya ruins and out to the cayes. We want to keep them in Belize City."
City Hall will also ask central government for a break on the duty on the bitumen. The financing for the project is also proposed to be interest free. If all goes as planned, work should begin in mid August.
