A 500-foot stretch of Friars Hill Road is set to undergo urgent concrete repairs and a full engineering redesign, following repeated structural failures that have frustrated motorists and raised questions about the quality of the original works.
During Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, Chief of Staff Lionel Hurst said the deteriorating section—frequented by heavy-duty trucks heading to and from the West Indies Oil Company—has become hazardous and will be temporarily reinforced using high-strength concrete while engineers develop a long-term solution.
The troubled segment is located near the Woods Mall and has become notorious for its rapid decay.
“We’ve reached a point where simply patching the holes is no longer sustainable,” Hurst said.
“This is not about short-term fixes anymore—it’s about proper water runoff design, drainage systems, and long-lasting road engineering.”
The Cabinet has directed the Ministry of Public Works to lead the redesign process, which is expected to include underground drainage infrastructure to divert stormwater into nearby streams or ponds.
The road’s repeated failures have been partly blamed on poor water management, with rainwater frequently pooling on the surface and weakening the asphalt base.
“The engineers at Public Works will develop a new design so that when it rains, water will be directed away from the road and not allowed to accumulate,” Hurst added, citing similar drainage solutions previously applied to the Antigua Recreation Grounds.
The Cabinet’s order comes amid ongoing public criticism of the original contractor, Bahamas Hot Mix, which was selected through a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) process as part of a UK-funded infrastructure programme.
Hurst clarified that the Antigua and Barbuda government had not chosen the company directly and revealed that the contractor has since taken legal action against the state, alleging delays and breach of contract.
“There is an arbitration decision already on file, and the matter is still being resolved. But if it were left to us, we believe we could have achieved more with the same resources,” Hurst said, noting that the government was originally hoping to repair several roads—not just two—under the £19 million UK grant.
The Friars Hill corridor remains one of the busiest roadways in the country, serving both commercial and residential areas.
The Cabinet’s directive reflects growing concern that substandard infrastructure in key traffic corridors could undermine safety, public confidence, and the broader goals of economic development.
No specific timeline was given for the redesign’s completion, but Hurst said temporary concrete fillings would be applied immediately to ensure safer conditions while engineers finalise the plans.
