Ports Authority launches $1.8M roof repair project at Vieques airport
The Puerto Rico Ports Authority began the permanent roof repair project at the Antonio Rivera Rodríguez regional airport terminal in Vieques, agency Executive Director Joel A. Pizá-Batiz announced.
The airport, the only one in Vieques, connects the island municipality, through commercial flights to the municipalities of Ceiba, Carolina and San Juan, and to other Caribbean islands.
“During the passage of Hurricane María in September 2017, the Vieques airport suffered severe damage, such as the rupture of most of the metal panels and insulation material, drainage ducts and the detachment of the roof waterproofing system, allowing the leaking of water into the passenger terminal,” said Pizá-Batiz.
“To resolve this situation, emergency repairs were carried out that allowed the use of the facility,” he said.
Despite implementing the temporary repairs, Pizá-Batiz said the current condition at the Vieques airport terminal is “complicated” because water has seeped into the second floor of the terminal.
The Ports Authority recently completed the study and design process and awarded a $1.85 million project for the “complete and permanent” repair of the roof. The job should be completed in six months, he said.
Ports worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and The Central Office of Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency, known as COR3, to qualify the project for a 90% reimbursement through the federal agency’s Public Assistance program.
The work being carried out consists of the removal and replacement of existing metal panels, repairing the roof surface, replacing drains, and installing new waterproofing system on the entire roof of the terminal, impacting an area approximately 12,000 square feet, in addition to other improvements to the terminal.
Yes, the project is actually expensive and if the photo shows the roof of the airport, then it seems to me that the money will go not quite there, lol. But in fact, there may be many things in disrepair there, although you can’t tell and you need to do something about it. After all, security is now very important and without it we simply cannot feel calm. We’ll stand in line for the gate in the rain. Lol.