The V.I. Department of Public Works has cautioned lawmakers about anticipated funding shortfalls for a series of FEMA funded projects across the territory that are currently in the design phase. The report was delivered by DPW Commissioner Derek Gabriel during the Monday sitting of the Committee on Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure, and Planning.
Mr. Gabriel provided updates on several projects, including the Anna's Hope Compound on St. Croix, which is presently 85 percent through its design phase. The project involves the demolition and rebuilding of the facility, with designs slated for completion by July. Staff relocation to a temporary facility in anticipation of the rebuild has been prioritized. Pending approval from FEMA, construction is set to commence by March 2024.
Responding to concerns raised by Senator Franklin Johnson about air quality issues at the facility, Mr. Gabriel acknowledged some complaints about mold. He assured the Committee that necessary repairs are being planned for this summer, which should address most of the concerns at the Anna's Hope compound.
Another significant project is the DPW St John maintenance building, with design work 70 percent complete and expected to be finalized by October 2023. This project, too, requires the demolition and rebuilding of the existing facility. Mr. Gabriel revealed that DPW is seeking additional funding due to an anticipated funding shortfall, with construction scheduled to start next June.
The commissioner also touched upon other key projects, such as the Frederiksted Concordia office on St. Croix, the Kings Hill Chapel, and road reconstruction and drainage mitigation projects in Williams Delight and Mount Pleasant East. Each project is in different phases, ranging from design completion to awaiting permitting, solicitation, and procurement phases. However, concerns about funding shortfalls were a common thread in Mr. Gabriel's report.
Senator Diane Capehart questioned the commissioner on why certain roads were currently under appeal with FEMA. In response, Mr. Gabriel clarified that FEMA approves specific roads they believe were damaged, rather than sanctioning an entire neighborhood. He assured the committee that DPW is actively exploring ways to reallocate resources to cover entire communities, given the significant costs associated with extensive design and drainage improvements. He noted that as it relates to Williams Delight, because of the extensive design and attention paid to drainage improvements, the cost for the project is quite significant.
Meanwhile, construction is ongoing on several other projects on St. Thomas, including the Frenchman's Bay, Botany Bay, Perseverance Bay, and Red Hook Bay watershed. Work on these projects, which involve road reconstruction, drainage mitigation, retaining wall construction, and embankment replacement, is about halfway completed. The Water Island watershed project is nearing completion, with a projected finish date of July 2023.
Mr. Gabriel also provided updates on projects that do not rely on FEMA funding, including federal highway emergency relief projects. He reported that construction on four roadway sites is completed, while work is ongoing at five culvert sites. The remaining projects, which include three bridges and two culvert sites, are fully designed and permitted, with an expectation of completion by December 2024, barring any delays or setbacks.
The Department of Public Works has received approximately $80 million in federal highway emergency relief funds to date, of which over $50 million has been expended. The balance is expected to fund the remaining projects currently under construction in the territory.
DPW is making substantial progress on the installation of new, permanent traffic and regulatory signs on the Big Island, as St. Croix is known. Despite several hiccups due to supply chain and contractual issues, about 75 percent of the work has been completed, according to the DPW Commissioner. The Department is now in the process of procuring additional signs, such as those for street names, and is working on a supplemental contract for this phase of the project.
In other areas, such as St. Thomas and St. John, the traffic signage project is nearing completion. The installation of all new signs has been accomplished by the contractor, and the DPW has acknowledged this significant progress by conferring substantial completion status to the project.
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