DIRECTOR of Highways Richard Pearson has said the 80-week regeneration project to Peel Road is vital to the reputation of Douglas, and has made assurances road closures will not clash with work to be carried out on the promenade.
Pending Tynwald approval, road closures would take effect next month as work is carried out in stages.
The 80-week estimate includes a nine-week contingency cushion, as work is carried out to strengthen Pulrose Railway Bridge, widen the Pulrose Road junction, improve kerbs and drainage, install new traffic lights, construct a new carriageway and a new pedestrian crossing at McDonald’s.
The £4.3 million cost of construction is in addition to more than half a million already spent on design and consultation.
The scheme will be paid for from capital funds, and the amount will be repaid over 25 years at a cost of about £180,000 per year.
The need to fully reconstruct the subsiding section of Peel Road, whilst simultaneously keeping it open to traffic, means that the project will take longer than a basic re-surfacing scheme.
The first phase of works on the Pulrose Road and Peel Road junction will take nine weeks, before the real 71-week impact is felt as Peel Road becomes one way only into Douglas between Quarter Bridge and Pulrose Road, while the section between Pulrose Road and Circular Road is reduced to one lane in each direction.
Mr Pearson gave assurances that traffic disruption would not be intensified if the planned revamp of Douglas promenade went ahead in August, as phase one of those works would have a minimal impact on traffic flow, as the promenade was wide enough to cope.
He added both regeneration schemes were important for the reputation of Douglas, referring to a survey in 2007 that quoted a senior figure of Barclay’s Bank as saying: ‘The appearance of Douglas lacks the quality of St Helier and comes across as shabby.’
Infrastructure Minister David Cretney MHK agreed work was long overdue.
‘I was a Douglas councillor in 1985, and we were talking about doing something about Peel Road then,’ he said, adding that marketing assistance would be given to Peel Road businesses, similar to what was provided for Onchan retailers during last year’s road closures.
Mr Pearson explained that work would be carried out between 7am and 7pm, six days a week, and that working outside these hours would not be possible because of issues of noise in what is considered a residential area.
