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NATIONAL PARK ROAD UPGRADES IN THE WORKS

Sept. 6, 2002 – The V.I. National Park is planning a spate of improvements to the North Shore Road and several of its scenic overlooks.
A public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Sept. 18 in the Legislature Building in Cruz Bay to discuss the project.
The park's facilities manager, John Javor, said sections of the North Shore Road that have cracked on the water side will be repaired. "And the gabions are sinking and settling," he said, referring to the huge rock-filled wire baskets used to make retaining walls along the road.
The project also calls for building a stone retaining wall at the Lind Point Overlook, a popular stop for visitors and residents who want a look at Cruz Bay.
At Penn Point, which is the first sharp turn to the right after you pass Cinnamon Bay Campground heading toward Maho Bay, crews will remove part of the bank on the inside curve. and install a guard rail on the water side. Both projects will improve safety, Javor said. "It's where everybody goes off the road," he said.
The Trunk Bay parking lot will be redesigned for angled parking, which will increase the number of spaces, Javor said. And the Cinnamon Bay lot will get a dozen more parking spaces. At Great Maho Bay, additional concrete curbs called footers will be installed to prevent erosion.
Javor said he expects roads to remain open while crews carry out the repair and improvement work, although "there may be some one-way traffic."
The project is being funded by the Federal Highway Administration, but Javor did not have projected cost figures.

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