FHH crew working on the Malau Road in Labasa. Photo: SUPPLIED
The influx of tropical depressions Fiji has experienced over the last three months brought unprecedented rainfall that has caused a large amount of damage to the sealed road network in and around Labasa.
To meet the increased demand that has resulted from the repeated torrential downpours, Fulton Hogan Hiways (FHH) has created a second construction crew for the Labasa repair work.
FHH is working under the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) maintenance programme to provide access to the Central, Northern and Eastern divisions.
“We are focusing on the areas most affected by the rain. The two crews are working in different directions to complete pavement repairs and to restore the road conditions in Labasa back to where they were before,” said FHH North Construction Manager, Scott Wilkinson.
The crews completed 25,000 square metres (almost 3.6 kilometres) of pavement repairs in March and it is anticipated that another 40,000 square metres (almost 5.7 kilometres) will be completed in April.
“Both crews are working very hard to get the roads back to the expected standards, but it will take time because of the saturated pavement and the extent of the damage caused by the wet weather.
“As soon as the Labasa roads are back to a good condition, we will then focus on our rehabilitation works as well,” said Mr Wilkinson.
Mr Wilkinson reminded the travelling public that road works can cause delays and people should plan their journeys accordingly.
“Safety is our first concern, both for the public and for our work crews out on the roads. Please follow the signs and the directions given by our traffic management control teams. If they ask you to stop and wait, remember, it is for your own safety,” he said.