st john roundabout construction at old texaco station

papabou · Post by **papabou** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:55 pm

when they closed down the texaco st by the firestation in cruzbay for the roundabout, i understood construction was to start early this year. i haven't heard anything about recently and no activity in dec. is there any talk of when construction will begin? could create a real problem for those trying to leave or coming to town on centerline.

we're going back 2/18 to take some newbies to gifft hill. sure hope we don't have to use south shore rd to gifft hill for their ist trip on island. bride would probably walk since she refused to go up last year.

ruth, pia or other locals, construction soon start?

thanks,

papabou

DELETED · Post by **DELETED** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:01 pm

DELETED

papabou · Post by **papabou** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:17 pm

jorge,

if road construction is as slow as villa construction on stj, i would suspect completion or commencement by 1/1/10. odds of both by that date the same as cowboys playing in superbowl this sunday. I just hope commencement not before end of feb 08. the rest of you unfortunate enough to NOT complete your trips before commencement will have my condolences.

don't know their funding source but seems like i read an article recently in one of papers, that a whole lot of property taxes aren't being collected. since the vi's don't have a voting delicate in congress, doubt if there will be one of those dasterdly "earmarks" to fund.

papabou

mbw1024 · Post by **mbw1024** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:36 pm

south shore to gifft hill - yeah that's a fun ride! what? the bride doesn't like it? LOL all I can tell you is when I did the driving last year it was Centerline all the way!

Carolyn · Post by **Carolyn** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:09 am

Just home a short couple hours ago...basically the intersection is the same as its always been except the texaco station is closed and there are some baracades around it...no real progress...I am sure it will take YEARS to make any progress and how that will be in the meantime is a mystery to me! It still "flows"? as it always has...poorly!

California Girl · Post by **California Girl** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:15 am

Don't they have to let the ground sit for a while after removing a gas station? There is a Shell station being rebuilt near my house and after they de-constructed the last one, they had to let the ground sit for a couple of years before building on it again. I don't know what laws cover this, and maybe it's just California (we DO have some stringent pollution laws here!), but maybe also that's why the Texaco is just sitting.

augie · Post by **augie** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:33 am

CG - even if that's not a law in the VI's, I'm sure that if the right people are made aware such a law exists somewhere, it can be used as, or at least incorporated into an excuse for delays.

madelon · Post by **madelon** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:33 am

Public Works says that May is the time they will begin construction.

bj · Post by bj » Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:13 am

Well, if they do start in May. I read where it will take TWO years to finish. I vote they put up a web cam in the area for our viewing enjoyment!

Lulu76 · Post by **Lulu76** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:52 pm

So, when they start this you won't be able to use Centerline Road? And allegedly it's starting in May?

Is that correct, because that will seriously impact my decision in choosing a villa for our November trip, especially since we've been looking at Gifft Hill and Coral Bay and I don't particularly want to go to either of them if I can't take Centerline.

(I'm an STJ road wimp, and I will admit it!)

bj · Post by bj » Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:49 pm

Public Works paved the Bethany by-pass, which runs from the Bethany Moravian Church to the top of Jacob’s Ladder. That would be a way to avoid the area if it is closed. Sometime in the 1980's the Centerline road was closed by the gas station while pipes were put in. I doubt, this part of Centerline would be closed for the whole duration of the roundabout construction.

pipanale · Post by **pipanale** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:20 am

bj wrote:Public Works paved the Bethany by-pass, which runs from the Bethany Moravian Church to the top of Jacob’s Ladder.

Is that the road they took a few weeks back on On St-John and videoed? It must be. I have little use for Centerline Road as it is (we stick to town and the north shore for the most part), but always want to head out to the East end at least once while we're there.

From our house in Great Cruz Bay though, Gifft Hill road may be out best bet to get up into the middle.

soon come.

Scott in BHM · Post by **Scott in BHM** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:13 pm

Returned on 1/16/08 from a week at Gallows. Spent some time with a contractor friend of mine who has been on Island since the early 90's. Word on the street according to Jim is that when this went out for bid recently, special disclaimers were attached that stated funding "may" not be available in current fiscal year. His guess is that this will go well into 09 before anything is started...

DELETED · Post by **DELETED** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 2:07 am

DELETED

Scott in BHM · Post by **Scott in BHM** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 3:06 pm

Jorge,

Thanks for the welcome. I've been stalking for years and finally had some input. I'm posting back to the entire group because I want to thank all for such a great online community focused on one of my passions (STJ).

BHM housing market was going crazy until end 06 / early 07, then it came to an abrupt halt like so many other mid sized cities. We are out in a small town call Mt Laurel off 41 near Shoal Creek. We still have a bunch of friends back in Homewood and Vestavia.

At some point I'll put out a new topic called something like "Help us design the ultimate West Indies Eco cottage for couples and solos". My wife and I have owned some land on the hill above Cruz Views since 95 and are getting close to building. Due to construction costs and logistics, our plans keep getting smaller and smaller. I would like to get some input from the Board on absolute minimums for a low weekly priced, cool pseudo eco, West Indian Cottage (with A/C) ... more on this later.

Thx, Scott

usvi-on-line