Work continues on North Ambergris Caye Road
Work on the second phase of the North Ambergris Caye road commenced about a month ago and it is to comprise of four miles of cemented road. The project was expected to last three months, depending on the weather. In the first weeks, the road has been widened, extended, filled with layers of hardcore material and compacted. The work is being done by Romel Burgess Construction and aims at improving the tourism fabric on the island. This second phase comes with an estimated cost of $4 million and is being financed by the Government of Belize (GOB) in coordination with the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC). According to Deputy Mayor, Gary Greif, the project will not just boost tourism but also add more traffic on the north part of the island, benefiting the north business community on a whole. "The first direct benefit of this infrastructure development will be for the golf cart rentals and the people that sell fuel. As the road becomes more accessible, more people will drive up north, thus increasing the consumption of fuel." He also touched on the impact it will have on tourism. "It will also definitely boost the economy of the island as there will be better accessibility to the northern hotels. Visitors and residents alike will see the benefits. If a guest wants to come to downtown San Pedro they will not have to worry about a bumpy ride to town because the road will be in excellent condition. In turn, town businesses get a boost as well," said Greif. Even though the project is slated for just seven miles, the Central Government has plans to extend the pavement up to Basil Jones area where lots have been subdivided and given to residents of San Pedro.