There is 17 Million Florins in the Budget this Year for Investment in our Roads

DOW is working on a planning based on the priority level

On August 7th, Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes, along with her team, met with the employees of the Department of Public Works (DOW) to plan the roadworks that need to be undertaken. The Prime Minister informed that this year there is more funding in the budget to invest in our roads, and for that reason, DOW is making plans.

For the roadworks in Aruba, there are various challenges, including a single asphalt plant which consequently causes delays. Another challenge is the roads with utilities that need to be addressed before paving can begin, such as light poles, roadside ditches, or existing pipes. Therefore, not all challenges are within DOW’s control, but they are addressing these issues and incorporating them into the planning.

Additionally, DOW has presented the results of their studies and investigations regarding the long-term approach to repairing all roads in Aruba. They have concluded that for the next 15 years, it will be necessary to invest 17 million florins each year to repair the roads and address all the roads that need repair. Naturally, this requires more funding. For this year, 17 million florins are available to work on the road repairs and to maintain the roads in poor condition.

DOW is applying a system to prioritize roads. This prioritization depends on the condition of the road, the cost of repairing it, the number of people using it, and how frequently it is used. This way, a planning process based on the level of priority is developed.

“Our goal is to ensure that our roads are paved and that all roads in poor condition are repaired. It is not possible to do everything at once. If more funds become available beyond the current financial capacity, but Aruba has a limitation on the capacity to repair or pave roads. However, it is our priority, and together with DOW, we will continue to address all these challenges and ensure that the roads receive the necessary attention,” the Prime Minister emphasized.