A request to leave the Texaco gas station in its place, despite the planned construction of a roundabout at the site, has been submitted to the government, according to Department of Public Works St. John Deputy Director Ira Wade.
There has been a request submitted by some people asking that the old gas station not be taken, said Wade, who did not specify who filed the request. The current site of the Texaco gas station can be taken by the government due to eminent domain, and it is up to Texaco owner Robert OConnor to relocate, said Wade.
It is up to Mr. OConnor to find a new location, he said. In accordance with Title VI, he may request some compensation for his dislocation, but its not up to the government to find him a spot.
Soil Sampling Completed
Soil samples of the area were recently completed, according to Wade.
They have completed all the soil samples that they had to take to make sure there were no leaks from the fuel tanks in that area, he said. Everything was good with those tests. They came up negative.
Surveyors who worked the site frequently over the last two months are almost done with their assessment of the area, according to Wade.
They are now basically laying out the roundabout, he said. They have until the end of the month to turn that information in to Mr. (Wystan) Benjamin, (design and construction project manager for the V.I. Public Works Department).
Accommodating Traffic and Trucks
The roundabout, planned for the Texaco gas station intersection in Cruz Bay, will help alleviate traffic going to and coming from the barges at the recently-opened Enighed Pond Marine Facility.
The roundabout will also make it easier for large trucks to maneuver the intersection, helping to keep traffic flowing. Currently, large trucks must make three-point turns to navigate the tight intersection, holding up traffic in the process.
The design of the roundabout is projected to be completed by September, according to Benjamin, who estimated that construction of the new intersection will take a little more than a year.
DPW has not yet decided if it will close the busy intersection to traffic during construction.
Possible Completion in 2008
All of that is part of the design, said Benjamin. Were going to work out the sequence of construction and how its going to happen with traffic control.
Based on Benjamins projections, the roundabout could be finished in early 2008.
