{"id":21383,"date":"2022-03-24T22:54:52","date_gmt":"2022-03-25T03:54:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev?p=21383"},"modified":"2022-03-25T06:23:13","modified_gmt":"2022-03-25T11:23:13","slug":"green-impacts-of-east-west-arterial-extension-reviewed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/green-impacts-of-east-west-arterial-extension-reviewed\/","title":{"rendered":"Green impacts of East-West Arterial extension reviewed"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Cayman Islands<\/p>\n<p>The long-awaited East-West Arterial extension is moving to the next phase as the National Roads Authority invited bids from firms to conduct an environmental impact assessment for the project.<\/p>\n<p>The NRA, according to a request for proposals posted on the government procurement Bonfire portal on Friday, is seeking a qualified environmental firm to perform the EIA for the extension, from Woodland Drive to Frank Sound Road (sections 2 and 3 of the East-West Arterial \u2013 see image below).<\/p>\n<p>Last month, NRA managing director Edward Howard announced that the project was moving to the next stage as he addressed a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.caymancompass.com\/2022\/02\/21\/traffic-east-west-arterial-highway\/\">Prospect constituency meeting<\/a>\u00a0organised by Prospect MP and Health Minister Sabrina Turner.<\/p>\n<p>The request for proposals, the NRA said through its tender, has been issued to select one professional environmental consultant to perform all requisite technical studies and analyses to complete an EIA for the extension.<\/p>\n<p>The bidding exercise will be open until 5pm on 14 April 2022.<\/p>\n<h2>Issues to be considered<\/h2>\n<p>The scoping opinion for the EIA for the project, dated November 2021, which aims to provide much-needed traffic-congestion relief for the eastern districts, was carried out by the Environmental Assessment Board \u2013 a subcommittee of the National Conservation Council chaired by Department of Environment Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie.<\/p>\n<p>Back in 2016, the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.caymancompass.com\/2016\/10\/26\/ten-mile-highway-extension-faces-environmental-roadblock\/\">National Conservation Council required an EIA<\/a>\u00a0for the proposed 10-mile-long road as it would \u201ctraverse a substantial area of wetland habitat along the entire length of the southern perimeter of the Central Mangrove Wetland.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs the ecological heart of Grand Cayman, the wetland is critical to many important natural processes which are vital to the long-term wellbeing of the residents of the Cayman Islands,\u201d it had stated.<\/p>\n<p>According to the scoping opinion, the NRA, as project proponent, is proposing the construction of a 160-foot-wide, multi-lane highway from Woodland Drive to Frank Sound Road.<\/p>\n<p>At its eastern end, the proposed route includes an 80-foot-wide southern connector road.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe footprint of the proposed road will result in the removal of 174 acres of undisturbed terrestrial habitat,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n<p>The EIA will look at the route alignment and assessment of alternatives.<\/p>\n<p>A key objective of the EIA, the scoping opinion said, is to ensure that the selected road design offers the best outcome for the environment as well as for surrounding communities, saying the assessment\u00a0shall \u201cappropriately assess and compare the environmental effects of relevant options for routes, engineering techniques, mitigation, construction management and operational management\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The terms of reference, the scoping opinion said, shall set out what options for the corridor have been considered to date and which is the preferred choice, outlining the reasons for its selection.<\/p>\n<p>The assessment will also look at the environmental impacts of the road, for which the scoping opinion states \u201cthere are likely to be significant environmental effects in the following key areas: Hydrology and Drainage; Terrestrial Ecology (Wetlands); Terrestrial Ecology (Mastic Reserve); Cultural and Natural Heritage; and Greenhouse Gas Emissions\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The scoping opinion also suggested that socio-economic considerations, including the \u201cneed\u201d and rationale for the road, should have been taken into account by way of a strategic environmental assessment prior to the gazettal of the road corridor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnfortunately, the utility of an assessment of the \u2018need\u2019 for the road extension and its socioeconomic impacts will be of limited value now given that the corridor has been gazetted since 2005 and development applications subsequently approved along parts of the route have, to a degree, fixed its alignment,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n<h2>Changes to route suggested<\/h2>\n<p>The scoping opinion said the Environmental Assessment Board consulted with the National Trust given the severing of Trust lands, including the Mastic Reserve, by the proposed route.<\/p>\n<p>A meeting was held on 1 Nov. 2021 with the director of the National Trust and members of the Trust\u2019s Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEAC members expressed their concerns regarding the alignment of the eastern end of the route and its likely major significant negative effects on the Mastic Reserve, both in terms of its ecology and visitor experience. The current alignment severs the Trail head from the remainder of the forest, requiring visitors to the Reserve to cross a multi-lane highway,\u201d it stated.<\/p>\n<p>The National Trust recommended the road should be moved south in order to ensure it does not traverse Trust-owned properties in the Central Mangrove Wetland; and the proposed roundabout repositioned to a \u201cmore ideal location\u201d along the red line on the map, thereby avoiding the Mastic Trail and Reserve.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed road acts as a physical barrier between the higher and lower elevations, and could act as a dam.<\/p>\n<p>It said the Central Mangrove Wetland could be deprived of water and \u201cthere may be ecological consequences\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>By changing the balance and patterns of water movement, there could be significant adverse effects on both residential populations and the Central Mangrove Wetland, and an EIA is required to investigate those impacts so that they can be appropriately avoided, minimised or mitigated.<\/p>\n<p>It also said the EIA needs to ensure that climate change resilience is built into the road design.<\/p>\n<h2>Next steps for project<\/h2>\n<p>The next stage of the process, following completion of the tenders, is for the NRA to provide the Environmental Assessment Board with details of up-to-three suitably qualified consultancy firms to carry out the EIA based upon the requirements outlined in the scoping opinion.<\/p>\n<p>The EAB will then review submissions, confirm the bidders have the necessary expertise and select a consultant(s) to undertake the project,\u00a0the scoping opinion stated.<\/p>\n<p>The Environmental Assessment Board will then meet with the NRA and its environmental impact assessment consultancy team to discuss the development of the draft terms of reference for the EIA, based on the scoping opinion.<\/p>\n<p>The draft terms of reference will then head to public consultation,\u00a0including discussion in at least one public meeting, for a period of 21 consecutive days. It will be finalised, once the public input is taken into account.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.caymancompass.com\/2022\/03\/08\/green-impacts-of-east-west-arterial-extension-reviewed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em>Image: pexels-singkham<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cayman Islands The long-awaited East-West Arterial extension is moving to the next phase as the National Roads Authority invited bids from firms to conduct an environmental impact assessment for the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1091,"featured_media":21384,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[250],"tags":[77,190,223],"class_list":["post-21383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-articles","tag-cayman-islands","tag-construction","tag-environment"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/pexels-singkham-1108572-scaled-e1648207434355.jpg?fit=1025%2C684&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6u9Qa-5yT","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":23415,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/nra-seeks-design-services-for-storm-water-treatment-facility\/","url_meta":{"origin":21383,"position":0},"title":"NRA seeks design services for storm water treatment facility","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"August 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Cayman Islands \u00a0 he National Roads Authority (NRA) has now published a request for proposals (RFP) for a firm to provide the NRA with professional\u00a0engineering services for the design of\u00a0facilities for the treatment and disposal of storm drain wastewater. The reason for the RFP, according to Alric Lindsay, chairman of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/pexels-steve-johnson-861414-1.jpeg?fit=1024%2C685&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/pexels-steve-johnson-861414-1.jpeg?fit=1024%2C685&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/pexels-steve-johnson-861414-1.jpeg?fit=1024%2C685&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/pexels-steve-johnson-861414-1.jpeg?fit=1024%2C685&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":31802,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/general-aviation-terminal-upgrade-moves-ahead\/","url_meta":{"origin":21383,"position":1},"title":"General aviation terminal upgrade moves ahead","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"December 28, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Cayman Island \u00a0 Government\u2019s plans to upgrade the general aviation facility at the Owen Roberts International airport has taken another step forward with the opening of tender bids for design consultancy services for the project. The request for proposals, which was issued on the government procurement Bonfire portal, is seeking\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/pexels-pixabay-459402-scaled-e1703815753708.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/pexels-pixabay-459402-scaled-e1703815753708.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/pexels-pixabay-459402-scaled-e1703815753708.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/pexels-pixabay-459402-scaled-e1703815753708.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5562,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/opposition-calls-for-cayman-cruise-port-referendum\/","url_meta":{"origin":21383,"position":2},"title":"Opposition calls for Cayman cruise port referendum","author":"Michele Marius","date":"May 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The opposition has announced plans to spearhead a campaign to collect enough signatures from registered voters to trigger a referendum on the proposed development of cruise berthing facilities in the George Town Harbour. Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller told CNS Tuesday that he believes the majority of Caymanians do not support\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News\/Developments&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News\/Developments","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/newsdevelopments\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/silhouettes-black-red-geralt-Pixabay.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/silhouettes-black-red-geralt-Pixabay.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/silhouettes-black-red-geralt-Pixabay.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/silhouettes-black-red-geralt-Pixabay.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7882,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/cruise-petitioners-seek-assurances-from-governor\/","url_meta":{"origin":21383,"position":3},"title":"Cruise petitioners seek assurances from governor","author":"Michele Marius","date":"January 11, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Campaigners collecting signatures for a petition to force a people-initiated referendum on the controversial cruise port project met with the governor Friday as they continued their push for Cayman Islands voters to decide the issue. The group, Cruise Port Referendum Cayman, says it is getting close to the target of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News\/Developments&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News\/Developments","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/newsdevelopments\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Seven-Mile-Beach-Grand-Cayman-James-Willamor-flickr.jpg?fit=800%2C591&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Seven-Mile-Beach-Grand-Cayman-James-Willamor-flickr.jpg?fit=800%2C591&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Seven-Mile-Beach-Grand-Cayman-James-Willamor-flickr.jpg?fit=800%2C591&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Seven-Mile-Beach-Grand-Cayman-James-Willamor-flickr.jpg?fit=800%2C591&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":19368,"url":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/ofreg-to-auction-green-energy-projects\/","url_meta":{"origin":21383,"position":4},"title":"OfReg to auction green energy projects","author":"Mayra Bonilla Lopez","date":"November 18, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Cayman Island (CNS): The utilities regulator has come up with a plan to enable potential energy producers to bid against each other to supply renewable energy through long-term contracts at the lowest possible price, officials have said. OfReg, which has been given responsibility for regulating the rollout of green energy,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/pexels-pixabay-159397-e1637173445847.jpg?fit=1200%2C708&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/pexels-pixabay-159397-e1637173445847.jpg?fit=1200%2C708&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/pexels-pixabay-159397-e1637173445847.jpg?fit=1200%2C708&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/pexels-pixabay-159397-e1637173445847.jpg?fit=1200%2C708&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/pexels-pixabay-159397-e1637173445847.jpg?fit=1200%2C708&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1091"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21383"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21399,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21383\/revisions\/21399"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projectcalls.com\/dev\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}