Agreement Reached On Main Street Construction Schedule

ST. THOMAS — Government officials and local merchants agreed Monday that when the construction to rehabilitate St. Thomas’ Main Street resumes, the work will be done only during nighttime hours – 6:00 pm to 6:00 a.m., Government House said via release Tuesday morning.

At a meeting with Main Street and other downtown business owners on Monday night, Governor Kenneth Mapp pledged to uphold the original understanding that the construction would not interrupt normal daytime business.

The governor and members of his cabinet who play major roles in the project, had suggested that the work be done on a 24-hour schedule, one block at a time moving west to east in order to speed completion of the project. However, the heads of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce and the India Association of the Virgin Islands were among those who spoke about the likelihood of business failures in the event that work was allowed during the daytime.

Following the termination of the original contractor for the Main Street project, the government is receiving new bids until Thursday, August 31, according to Government House. Administration officials said a new contract can be executed by late September.

Mr. Mapp promised that the work, although limited to nighttime hours, would proceed expeditiously. He obtained the merchants’ willingness to reconsider their opposition to the 24-hour construction schedule should the government see a future opportunity for a more accommodating arrangement, Government House said.

A number of destination improvement suggestions were offered during the Government House meeting, including the dredging of the main harbor to accommodate larger cruise ships, the banning of barkers from downtown, the need for more public restrooms, regular entertainment and more parking spaces. The governor, the commissioner of Tourism, the commissioner of Public Works, the commissioner of Property and Procurement, the director of the Taxicab Commission, and roughly 70 merchants in attendance agreed that these and other issues merit future collaboration, according to Government House.