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Public Works tells senators it will prioritize potholes, drainage and bridge repairs; FEMA and contractors cited as constraints
Summary
Department of Public Works officials told the Senate committee they are sequencing projects to match cyclical revenue, increasing inspections and moving several bids and bridge projects toward solicitation, while senators pressed for clearer schedules for brush/gut cleaning and better equipment and staffing.
The Department of Public Works (DPW) told the Senate Committee on Housing, Transportation and Telecommunications that it is prioritizing drainage, pothole repairs, bridge work and roadside maintenance but that staffing, equipment and coordination with other agencies constrain delivery.
Commissioner Gabriel (identified in testimony as "Commissioner") and DPW staff responded to senators' questions on roads, drainage, bridges, pavement specifications and vegetation/brush cutting. The department said it is pursuing multiple tactics:
- Staffing and vacancies: The commissioner said DPW had 28 vacancies territorywide across mass transit operators, cemetery caretakers, general maintenance workers, an engineer and transportation planner positions; some positions were funded and recruiting was underway.
- Asset and procurement status: Jamal McLean, DPW highway program manager, said the Spring Guts project (a bridge replacement and associated work) had progressed through consultant bid-package review and was to be transmitted to Federal Highway for approval with an anticipated solicitation in March. The department reported several notices to proceed recently issued for paving and planned a large paving campaign in May and June.
- Drainage and gut cleaning: Senators pressed the department for public schedules. The commissioner said DPW planned to publish a gut- and brush-cutting schedule within 30 days and will share it with the committee, but that coordination with Waste Management and occasional wastewater hazards can delay fieldwork. The department also described increased inspections of contractors and more frequent equipment checks in St. Croix after pushback from local contractors.
- Road resurfacing versus reconstruction: DPW explained it performs maintenance overlays to bridge funding gaps and plans full reconstruction/realignments (for example, a permanent Veterans Drive project) when funding allows. Commissioners noted that limited base repairs lead to recurring potholes when underlying base failure exists.
- Streetlights, signal timing and traffic synchronization: Senators asked about adjusting signal timing for peak hours; DPW said it will evaluate synchronization for 05:00 traffic congestion and explore light-timing adjustments.
- Melvin Evans Highway & potholes: DPW said some Melvin Evans segments were scheduled for paving and maintenance work; senators presented photos of large potholes and DPW replied that those segments are in an upcoming paving queue.
Why it matters Roads, bridges and drainage affect daily safety, emergency response and tourism; senators repeatedly urged DPW to publish schedules and to coordinate with WAPA, Waste Management and the Office of Disaster Recovery to avoid delays and to leverage braided resources.
Selected quote "We continue our program [against] fraud, waste or abuse ... we've been looking at vehicle usage, gas consumption," Commissioner Gabriel said when asked about austerity and operations.
Next steps DPW committed to publishing a brush/gut-cleaning schedule within 30 days, to transmit the Spring Guts bid package to Federal Highway (expecting March solicitation) and to provide the committee a two-week schedule of capital projects and notices to proceed.
