Residents in the Ituni/Kwakwani area are breathing a sigh of relief as repairs to further strengthen a damaged section of the roadway linking the two Region 10 communities began recently.

Persons in the area told Stabroek News yesterday that work commenced on the section of the road that lies close to the Kamakabra Creek, some six miles from Ituni on the way to Kwakwani, last week and so far two HDPE pipes were laid across the road. The repairs are being undertaken by the Work Services Group of the Public Works Ministry and this newspaper understands that project includes the laying of additional culverts along the section of the roadway while soil and sand will be used to compact the area. Final touches include the capping of the area although the general works are being undertaken with the weather conditions in mind.

Minibus driver Floyd Conway, who traverses the roadway between the two communities on a daily basis, told Stabroek News yesterday that a considerable distance has to be covered by the workers to build up the section of the road. He estimated that about a fifth of some 250 feet of repair works has been completed.

He said that the rains had eased a few weeks ago but he noted yesterday that it continued to pour last week. It has been raining on alternate days within the last few days, he said.

In the meantime, minibus operators and logging trucks have been using a temporary bridge which was constructed along the trail as a stop gap measure after part of the trail washed away during heavy rains early last month. Residents told this newspaper then that the temporary bridge, which was constructed by them via self-help efforts, was beginning to sink and they had called on the authorities to address the situation.

The bridge, which was built using mostly logs compacted under several layers of soil, was erected alongside the washed out section of the roadway, near the Kamakabra Creek.  Water from the creek once flowed under the roadway via a culvert but heavy rainfall resulted in the creek overtopping. Conway noted yesterday that an old metal pipe, which was the main cause of the water flooding the road as it was clogged, was removed during earthen works recently.

The trail, which is the key link between the logging community of Ituni and Kwakwani and ultimately the coastland, was renovated several months ago. Residents have called on the authorities to ensure road works being undertaken in the area are monitored since parts of the thoroughfare deteriorated soon after works were completed.