Apett Presidential Lecture The National Network Of Highway Projects And The Transportation Crisis

50TH ANNIVERESARY PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SERIES

“THE PROPOSED NATIONAL NETWORK OF HIGHWAYS PROJECT (NNHP) AND ITS IMPACT ON THE COUNTRY’S TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE”

Will it solve the Transportation Crisis in the Urban Centres?

PRESENTATION BY :ENG. VAUGHN I. LEZAMA, FAPE, R. Eng. – Past President

INTRODUCTIONThis presentation discusses the major elements of the NNHP in relation to the short, medium and long term recommendations of the Comprehensive National Transportation Study (CNTS) and the traffic gridlock Crisis that exists in many urban centres around the country. The questions which are central to this discussion are:

-What are the recommendations of the CNTS (Draft

Final Report) for dealing with the transportation crisis in the urban centres and

 Should these recommendations be given equal priority to the NNHP

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL NETWORK OF HIGHWAY PROJECTS?

In the 2009/10 National budget the Minister of Finance described the

NNHP as

 …. “the most far-reaching and innovative highway development programme this country has ever envisaged.” and

“In furtherance of this objective, an international project consultant has

been engaged and work is in progress on the finalization of the necessary

contract documents and design briefs to allow the invitation of design-

build proposal for, and the commencement of construction of several new

major highway projects early in fiscal 2010”

THE EXECUTING AGENCY AND EXECUTION SCHEDULE

Executing Agency - National Infrastructure Development Co. Ltd (NIDCO) Project Consultants – AECOMLaunching of the NNHP – 21 October 2009 Three Phase Project Implementation – 471 km of HighwayIssuance of the first Tender Package for Phase 1 –December 2009  Completion of Phase 1 – 2016Estimated Cost of Phase 1 - $19,619,000,000.00Procurement process for Phases 2 and 3 – 2010 and 2011

respectively Completion of Phases 2 & 3 – 2025

NATIONAL NETWORK OF HIGHWAYS PROJECT

WHAT ARE THE NEW MAJOR HIGHWAY PROJECTS?

Package#

Work Description / General Scope Anticipated RFP Issuance

Date

1 Solomon Hochoy Highway to Point Fortin (47km)

Jan. 29/10

2 San Fernando to Princes Town (11km) Golconda to Debe (3km )

Dec. 15/09

2A Princes Town to Mayaro (42km) Dec. 15/09

3 Uriah Butler Freeway to Trincity (13km)

2010

4 Churchill Roosevelt Highway Extension to Manzanilla (63km)

2010

5 Causeway from Mucurapo to Chaguaramas (12km)

Dec. 15/09

6 North/South highway from Curepe to Princes Town (50km)

2010

NATIONAL NETWORK OF HIGHWAYS PROJECT

NATIONAL NETWORK OF HIGHWAYS PROJECT

Phase 1 - Package 2 – S/Fdo to P/Town & Golconda to Debe

NATIONAL NETWORK OF HIGHWAYS PROJECT

Phase 1 - Package 2 – San Fernando to Princes Town

Phase 1 - Package 5 – Causeway - Mucurapo to Chaguaramas

NATIONAL NETWORK OF HIGHWAYS PROJECT

THE COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION STUDY (CNTS)

Commissioned in February 2005

The last National Transportation Study was commissioned in 1967 with a

planning horizon to 1985 The CNTS was intended among other things to: Address the Intermodal needs of the land, sea and air

transport sectors

Provide a strategic plan for future transportation infrastructure and administrative needs

 Provide a decision-making tool for future investments in and

management of transportation infrastructure

THE COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION STUDY (CNTS)

Objectives of the CNTS include: Preparation of a General Diagnostic of the Transport

Sector

Identification of areas where improvements in transportation efficiency and effectiveness are possible

Recommendation of a transportation improvement program for 2, 8, 10 and 20 year planning horizon

Cont’d

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE CNTS?

The CNTS was supposed to be an 18 months study so that delivery of the Final Report could have been expected around June 2006. In September 2006 the Minister of Works and Transport announced in the Parliament that he is in receipt of the

Draft Final Report of the CNTS

The Guardian Newspapers of 14 December 2006 quoted the Minister as saying that “the Final Report is not yet ready”

There exists a Draft Final Report dated November 13, 2006

Up to this time it is not known whether there is a Final Report since no public announcement has been made with regard to the submission or availability of such a Report.

Any reference to recommendations of the CNTS in this discussion is a reference to recommendations contained in the Draft Final Report of November 2006 and not

necessarily the Final Report.

Cont’d

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE CNTS?

THE TRANSPORTATION CRISIS IN THE URBAN CENTRES

The immediate challenge facing commuters and motorists throughout the country is the transportation crisis that exists in major urban centres  This is largely the result of the inadequacy and lack of development of the transport infrastructure in these centres.

The most severely affected Towns and Industrial/Commercial Centres outside

of the city of POS are:  ChaguanasCouva-Point LisasGasparillo/Point-a-Pierre San Fernandoand to a lesser extent Diego Martin in the north and Princes Town and

Penal in the South-Central.

One of the stated benefits of the NNHP: -The travel time between any two points on

the island will be no more than one and a half hours.

Current RealityIt occasionally takes more than 45 minutes

and up to an hour to get into or out of some of the major urban/commercial centres

Cont’d

THE TRANSPORTATION CRISIS IN THE URBAN CENTRES

Yard Street, Chaguanas.

Mulchan Seuchan Rd / Endeavour Rd, Chaguanas.

Chaguanas Main Road / U.B.H.

S.H.H North Bound Ramp into Chaguanas

Endeavour Flyover / U.B.H.

Endeavour Flyover / U.B.H.

Couva – Point Lisas / S.H.H.

Couva – Point Lisas / S.H.H.

Indian Trail Bridge.

Gasparillo / Pointe - a - Pierre at S.H.H.

Gasparillo / Pointe - a - Pierre at S.H.H.

Tarouba Road, San Fernando By-Pass.

Mon Repos Roundabout, San Fernando.

South Trunk Road, La Romain.

Diego Martin / Four Roads.

Diego Martin / Four Roads.

Diego Martin / Four Roads.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CNTS (Draft Final Report)

2007 – 2008 (2 Year Plan)

Project Description

Construction of a vehicle and pedestrian bridge- Diego Martin, includes interchange at Western Main Road

Frontage Road parallel to UBH from Monroe Rd. to Endeavour Road

Widening of South Trunk Road from Dumfries Road to Paria Suites

New Roundabout at Tarouba Road/San Fernando Bypass

Port of Spain Strategic City Development and Transportation Plan

San Fernando Strategic City Development and Transportation Plan

Chaguanas Strategic City Development and Transportation Plan

Recommended Capital Development Program – 2007-2008 (2 Year Plan)

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CNTS (Draft Final Report)

Recommended Capital Development Program – 2009-2013 (5 Year Plan)

2009-2013 (5 Year Plan)

Project Description

Maraval Parkway from Ariapita Ave. to Western Main Road

Realignment of the Diego Martin Highway from Victoria to Acton Court

Extension of Diego Martin Highway – Wendy Fitzwilliam Boulevard to Diego Martin Main Road

Upgrading of Indian Trail Bridge over the Solomon Hochoy Highway to a full Interchange

Expansion of the Endeavour Interchange by the addition of another bridge

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CNTS (Draft Final Report)

2009-2013 (5 Year Plan) Cont’d

Project Description

Widening Western Main Road to Chaguaramas

Port of Spain South Bypass (parallel causeway offshore)

Port of Spain North Bypass (to link Beetham with Wrightson Road)

Dualling Rivulet Road from Pt. Lisas to SHH

Recommended Capital Development Program – 2009-2013 (5 Year Plan)

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CNTS (Draft Final Report)

2014-2018 (5 Year Plan)

Project Description

Proposed Hwy Southern Link from POS to UBH – Segment 1

Proposed Hwy Southern Link from UBH to Piarco– Segment 2

Proposed Chaguanas Inner Ring Road arterial 4-lane divided

San Fernando Inner Ring Road

Slabbing of Maraval River to improve access to Maraval Valley

Recommended Capital Development Program – 2014-2018 (5 Year Plan)

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CNTS (Draft Final Report)

2019-2026 (8 Year Plan)

Project Description

Proposed Chaguanas Outer Ring Road

San Fernando Outer Ring Road

Point Lisas-Cedar Hill Connector

Chaguanas-Couva West Link Road

Recommended Capital Development Program – 2019-2026 (8 Year Plan)

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CNTS (Draft Final Report)

Roads AuthorityManage road networkMaintenanceStandards – design, construction and

operationsConstruction SupervisionProcurement for Road MaintenanceSurveying, Mapping and Traffic DataR.O.W. AcquisitionUtility Co ordinationProject Planning and Development

Recommended Institutional Structure

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CNTS (Draft Final Report)

Transport AuthorityTraffic EngineeringStatistics collection and analysisSafety managementSignage and road markingsTruck weight and size enforcementParking enforcementProvision of off-street parkingAgency coordination – Town and Country

Planning, Utility Companies and EMA.

Recommended Institutional Structure

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CNTS (Draft Final Report)

Transit AuthorityPTSCMaxi TaxisRail project coordinationIntermodal interfaces

Recommended Institutional Structure

The NNHP would represent a major thrust in development of the Country’s Transport Infrastructure. However it will not by itself impact the crisis that exists in the Urban Centres

The NNHP would serve to shorten the travel time from one Urban Centre to the next but will not solve the traffic crisis within the Urban Centres themselves.

Several designs including route alignment selection have been done by both local and international consultants over the last 20 years for the Hwy to Point Fortin

There is no Statutory Authority with the responsibility for dealing with issues related to the continued planning and development of the country’s road infrastructure or management and regulation of the use of our roadways

OBSERVATIONS, DISCUSSIONS & QUESTIONS

There exists an overwhelming institutional deficiency in dealing with transportation issues.

What is the status of the CNTS? Is the Final Report available? Which authority will be responsible for implementation of the recommendations of the CNTS?

Will the CNTS recommendations for mitigating traffic bottlenecks in some of the major urban centres be shelved now that the $19.6 billion NNHP? (First Phase) has been launched.

Will we neglect to pay attention to the transportation infrastructure within the Urban Centres while we embark on the NNHP?

Will the TRRP, which is estimated to cost in excess of US$3.0 billion (TT$19.0 b) be undertaken concurrently with the $19.6 billion NNHP? (First Phase)

OBSERVATIONS, DISCUSSIONS & QUESTIONS

THANK YOU

END