News Projects Smart Mobility
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The ambitious Airport Boulevard project on St. Eustatius is steadily moving along. With the construction of the road itself planned to take off later this year, the Public Entity St. Eustatius has recently announced the start of the tender phase for the project, which will focus on the (re)construction of the road between Concordia Road and Theodore A. M. Pandt Boulevard, up to the intersection of Charles A. Woodley Road. This first phase of the Airport Boulevard project is expected to be completed by the second half of 2023.
Phase one ready to get underway
The goal of the project during the first phase is to improve the accessibility to Statia’s new airport terminal and the FISO (Flight Information Service Officer) tower. This will be achieved by building new parking lots and a modern “kiss-and-go” area for the quick dropping off of passengers, as well as a separate road consisting of a single lane in each direction and footpaths on each side. This road will run from Concordia Road to Theodore Pandt Boulevard, and a round-about will be constructed where it crosses with Road to Roots to improve the safety of all road users, especially in terms of speed control.
Besides all this, the construction of the new Airport Boulevard is also used as an opportunity to improve the overall quality of life in the area. The fact that the project also includes the creation of a walking lane with a width of two meters that can be used for jogging or walking, for example, next to the airport’s fence shows that the Statia authorities are aiming at more than just a new road for the airport. It is actually part of the Dutch Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat’s (Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) “Showcase Infrastructure St. Eustatius”, which means that it is financed by the ministry. The Program Projects Office of the Public Entity St. Eustatius, together with the Directorate Economy Nature and Infrastructure (ENI), is responsible for the execution of the project.
Recycling surface water
Further proof of the progressiveness of the Airport Boulevard project is the fact that various water basins will be constructed at strategic spots within the construction area to manage and collect surface water. These drains will direct the water safely and directly to the pre-existing drains located right in front of the new terminal. From there, a culvert under the road will make sure that the water won’t build up and cause problems for the airport and the area as a whole. This again shows that sustainability and responsible practices are at the forefront of the Airport Boulevard construction project on Statia.
The basis for this article was originally published on www.bes-reporter.com in March 2022.
