Aerial shot of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas USVI. Photo Credit: ERNICE GILBERT, V.I. CONSORTIUM.
Government officials and community stakeholders gathered on Tuesday for a hybrid public engagement meeting to discuss the future of the territory's infrastructure under the USVI 2050 Transportation Master Plan. The meeting, the first of three which will be led by the Department of Public Works (DPW) and consulting firm WSP, outlined a wide-ranging plan featuring 76 projects designed to modernize the islands' transit network over the next 25 years.
Building on the foundation of the 2040 plan established a decade ago, the 2050 initiative seeks to address current bottlenecks while planning for future growth. "We are updating data to reflect current conditions and also the future projected conditions based on developments that are in progress," explained Maya Miller, Deputy Project Manager at WSP. Previous public engagement meetings have been conducted regarding the 2050 plan.
The 76 conceptual projects in the proposed plan were organized into six major categories; Safety and Operations (26 projects), Bicycle and Pedestrian (15 projects), Transit (12 projects), Congestion Management (10 projects), Roadway Facilities (7 projects), and Maintenance and System Preservation (6 projects). One included project already in progress is the inter-island ferry between St. Thomas and St. Croix, which has received funding and is currently in the vessel design phase.
The meeting, held simultaneously in person and online, highlighted resident concerns about the current state of USVI roads. Several attendees emphasized that safety must take priority over new construction. "I own a very sturdy Jeep... and on this back road... my entire shock, my strut cracked," shared one resident, describing a recent 35-mph encounter with an unexpected pothole. "If that happened to me in a Jeep, I can imagine what happens [to others],” she declared.
Others criticized the lack of basic maintenance. Resident Lisa Sperry pointed to the "terrible condition" of the East Airport Road intersection, calling for urgent repairs rather than waiting for 2050. Meanwhile, Doug Hoffman, a resident of Water Island, expressed frustration that his island was being "left off" the priority list despite having "the worst roads in America".
Local stakeholders advocated for a shift toward "multi-use" pathways rather than simple sidewalks or bike lanes. Alma Winkfield, vice president of the VI Trail Alliance, said that the territory needed wider, inclusive paths that accommodate strollers, wheelchairs, and families. "People are losing their lives walking or biking on roads," Ms. Winkfield stated, urging that funding be invested in people-focused infrastructure. This sentiment was echoed by John Custin, who warned that without law enforcement to curb speeding, new bike lanes would be useless. "If we don't have enforcement, all these plans mean nothing," Mr. Custin declared.
Attendees also cautioned against modern designs that might erase the islands' unique character. UVI professor Olasee Davis strongly urged DPW to involve archeologists to protect historic bridges and aqueducts. "We do have historical bridges... I really want [them] to be protected," Davis said, noting that many old Danish-style structures have outlasted modern culverts. Concerns were also raised about the removal of mahogany trees during road improvements. "The trees were there first. We have to work around the trees," one participant argued, criticizing past decisions to cut down full-sized trees in the name of safety.
In addition to additional meetings this week on St. Thomas and St. John, public input will continue to be collected via a digital survey open until March 6, 2026. The final 2050 Master Plan is expected to be drafted in the spring and published by this summer.
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