The Government is to spend more than $6 million on a “cutting edge” asphalt plant to fast forward repairs to the island’s deteriorating road network.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, said the investment was “a real sign of progress in addressing the state of our roads” and “marks a crucial step towards fulfilling the Government’s goal of improving Bermuda’s road conditions, which have been a focal point of public concern”.

The island’s 100 miles of roads have fallen into disrepair in recent years, in part because of a lack of funding for maintenance work. Last year the Government set up a potholes hotline to address the problem, which was exacerbated by record-level rainfalls.

This year the Government has set aside $5 million for road repairs and resurfacing — double the amount allocated in recent years.

Colonel Burch said that the new plant — costing $6,197,470 from US-based firm Astec Industries Inc — would not be operational for at least another nine months.

He said: “After enduring a challenging year with our road conditions, exacerbated due to record rainfall, we are now poised to enhance our road infrastructure significantly.

“Our partnership with Astec Industries ensures not only the procurement of top-notch equipment but also access to invaluable expertise and maintenance support.

“The paving equipment is expected to be delivered within a few weeks, whereas the construction of the plant abroad will take six months, followed by an additional three months for shipping and assembly on site. However, Astec Industries is collaborating with the Government to reduce this time frame potentially if feasible.”

A ministry spokesman said that about 75 per cent of the allocated funding was contained in the 2023/24 Budget, with the remaining expenditure coming out of the next fiscal period.

The plant’s equipment will include an aggregate screening plant, which is used to sort aggregate; a paver for spreading asphalt uniformly over a pre-prepared surface, and a mill machine, which is used to remove asphalt from the road.

Additional equipment includes a shuttle buggy and a batching plant, which is used to make the asphalt mix one batch at a time.

Highways crews are to undergo training in the US on how to handle the new equipment.

The spokesman said: “This initiative aims to equip our asphalt teams with advanced techniques and applications, thus elevating the standard of road resurfacing efforts across the island.

“Additional training sessions are scheduled on the island for the remainder of the team, ensuring comprehensive skill enhancement across our workforce.”

Earlier this month, work crews launched a road resurfacing programme on selected highways, using asphalt from a private company.

The spokesman added: “These efforts underscore our focus on immediate improvements in road quality, even as we prepare for a more sustainable long-term solution.”

To report a pothole e-mail potholes@gov.bm.