Marsh Harbour public dock construction progress is more visible
The Abaconian - 15 August 2002

PLEASE CLICK HERE (92k download - but worth it!) FOR A UNIQUELY INFORMATIVE (labeled) AERIAL OF ALL OF MARSH HARBOUR

Progress on the Marsh Harbour freight dock has become much more evident in the past month. Several aspects of the American Bridge project show up quite dramatically.

The steel skeleton and roof are complete on the domestic warehouse with walls remaining to be completed. The Customs administration building"s roof is being completed. Interior partitions are underway and the final roofing material is being installed.

The concrete floor is being poured for the international freight warehouse and that structure should rise quickly after the floor is finished.

All but 500 feet of the concrete seawall cap is in place. The remaining cap is close to shore near the old Pizza Hut location.

A 36-inch concrete culvert now extends from the existing road culvert across the new dock area and through the dock face. An outlet is in place through the north dock wall. The other end is near where the conch vendor"s stand was located. The ferry dock is in place but will not be activated until the end of the job.

This area is used for discharging the barge loads of muck removed from the new channel. Portions of the new channel contain flint-like rock which is being broken up with dynamite by Abaco Tug and Transport. Once broken, it is easily removed. The larger boulders removed will be used as rip-rap on the western edge of the dock site. If further expansion is ever needed, this rip-rap can be removed and the seawall converted to sheet piling with a concrete cap.

The highway leading from the dock to S.C. Bootle Highway is in place and will be paved and in use by November. The existing road beside the dock area in Marsh Harbour will have to be relocated slightly south. This will be started as soon as Batelco and BEC relocate their lines and poles.

The existing warehouse will be removed and the surrounding dock area will be completely rebuilt before the November contract deadline when the entire project will be completed.