After weeks of growing public concern over the deteriorating structural condition of the Pointe Ronde Bridge serving Dominica’s Portsmouth region, on-the-ground rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts have officially launched to upgrade the critical transportation link.
In June 2026, the Government of Dominica awarded an EC$898,000 construction contract to local firm CR5 Limited to execute the full scope of repairs and rebuilding work required for the ageing infrastructure. A preliminary formal site assessment was carried out by the project team on August 4, and heavy construction crews mobilized to the site just days later to start preliminary works.
On August 13, Finella Wenham-Shepherd, Parliamentary Representative for the Portsmouth Constituency, publicly confirmed that the project is advancing according to schedule. Currently, work teams are focused on clearing parcels of land to carve out a temporary bypass route that will run adjacent to the existing bridge.
This temporary detour is designed to keep motorists moving through the area while major structural modifications take place on the original bridge. By providing an alternative route for passenger and commercial vehicles throughout the construction period, project planners aim to minimize disruptive traffic closures and preserve consistent access to local communities and businesses connected by the crossing.
As construction activities ramp up, Wenham-Shepherd has issued a public advisory urging all road users to exercise extra caution when traveling through the Pointe Ronde construction zone. Motorists are advised to adhere to posted temporary traffic signage, reduce their driving speed to match the active work zone conditions, and follow all directions from on-site construction staff and dedicated traffic controllers.
Once completed, the Pointe Ronde Bridge rehabilitation project is projected to deliver long-term improvements to the entire regional transportation network, upgrading the crossing’s overall safety, operational reliability, and ability to withstand extreme weather and heavy traffic volumes for decades to come.