Multiple threats from EWA detailed in ToR
(CNS): The terms of reference (ToR) for the environmental impact assessment of the East-West Arterial Road extension, released by the Department of Environment Monday, outline many of the potential negative impacts this controversial road will have on nature and society that will need to be closely examined during the process. Covering seven defined areas, from the danger of flooding and increased greenhouse gas emissions to the contamination of groundwater and the impact on wildlife, the EIA will also weigh the potential benefits of the road against alternative options.
Given the size of the document and the number of potential problems that it identifies, even before the EIA is conducted, the publication of the terms of reference is likely to fuel further controversy about the proposed highway. The government hopes the road will reduce the morning and evening commute time for residents in East End and North Side to under an hour. Right now many commuters are stuck in traffic for as long as two hours each way due to the significant increase in the number of cars on the road.
The document, drawn up by the US engineering company Whitman, Requardt & Associates LLP, which won the contract for the costly project, has been scrutinised by the DoE and released ahead of the first proposed public meeting about the assessment on 7 February in North Side.
It examines the potential impact of the road on socioeconomic issues, hydrology, geo-environmental conditions, terrestrial ecology, greenhouse gas emissions, noise and vibration as well as cultural and heritage sites along and near the route.
The scientists and researchers will take a close look at how this road will impact all residents, homeowners, businesses and short-term renters, as well as marginalised or vulnerable groups such as inmates at the prison. The pros and cons will be considered against a ‘no-build’ scenario. The EIA will not only consider the direct impact of the road but the potential for new development that its construction will facilitate, a major concern for many people.
The ToRs point out that the proposed project could have a major impact on water circulation patterns, increase stormwater runoff volume and velocity, decrease water quality and impact the ecology of natural resources. The Central Mangrove Wetlands, the Mastic Reserve, the Meagre Bay Pond, the Lower Valley and North Sound freshwater lenses are all at risk.
A damming effect caused by the road could also restrict the hydrology to the critical Central Mangrove Wetland, causing inundation of the mangroves and adjacent developed areas south of the proposed roadway and the subsequent flooding of neighbouring properties and infrastructure.
“The loss of mangroves reduces transpiration, may increase runoff, and could reduce floodplain roughness, which in turn could increase run-off velocity and reduce protection from tropical storms and hurricanes. In addition, the cutting or drowning of mangroves may decrease precipitation on the western end of the island,” the document notes. “The proposed roadway has the potential to release contaminants that may potentially pollute sensitive habitats and the underlying aquifers.”
The construction will also change the quantity and quality of peat and groundwater as it could diminish the recharging of groundwater redirecting stormwater away from the freshwater lenses. The potential for peat to be removed, covered over, compacted and contaminated could also harm the wetlands.
“The peat substrate is required for new growth for many species of flora, including… mangroves. It’s a vital component of a healthy wetland ecosystem and also sequesters and purifies toxins from the surrounding groundwater. An unknown factor is how currently undeveloped lands south of the proposed road corridor will impact drainage conveyance, given there are no proper regulations to ensure developments are built in a sustainable manner with functional drainage plans,” the ToR states.
Ecological resources are also threatened by the road and the EIA will look at the effects not just on the Central Mangrove Wetland, but Meagre Bay Pond and Animal Sanctuary, Mastic Reserve, Little Sound Environmental Zone, and mangrove habitat to the north and south of the area during and after construction. Issues such as habitat loss and fragmentation and the loss of species and restrictions to animal movements, as well as the dust sediment and contamination of the habitat that survives the bulldozer will also be examined.
While greenhouse gas emissions are certain to increase with the arrival of the road and the traffic it will carry, there will also be an increase in emissions during construction from the heavy equipment building the road and the trucks bringing in the construction materials.
The removal of peat will also add to the emission count as it acts as a sink for carbon dioxide and methane. But when the peat is lost those climate change-causing gases will be released into the atmosphere, especially over the stretch of the road east of Lookout Road where the volume of peat is believed to be significant.
“When these carbon sinks are disturbed or removed, its potential to store carbon is reduced. This loss will be incorporated into the overall project impacts,” the scientists that drew up the ToR said.
The project will also generate noise and vibrations likely to affect people and nature. In addition, ground vibrations caused by construction can create a wide range of issues for structures, such as cracking foundations and softening the soil, causing the structure to settle, depending on the amplitude, frequency and duration.
Arial photography shows residential and other properties along the route that could be impacted, including residential communities in Bodden Town, the Clifton Hunter High School and the Frank Sound Fire Station.
The extension also has the potential to affect portions of cultural and natural heritage sites within the project study area, diminishing the aesthetics and character of important Caymanian places as well as the overall loss of natural habitat. These sites could be impacted by a combination of factors associated with both the construction and operation from the noise of traffic to the complete loss or fragmentation of natural habitat.
Despite the catalogue of potential threats and concerns for the community and the fundamental problems caused by the excessive amount of traffic on local roads, the PACT Government has made it clear that this road is a priority. Therefore, the EIA will outline potential mitigation measures or ways to avoid the worst of the damage.
However, the list of potential threats the road poses is extensive and the removal of 174 acres of mangrove to make way for the road, already a major blow to that critical habitat, will not be the only negative effect that cannot be mitigated.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: development, Land Habitat, Local News, Science & Nature
How did the quarries get approved then?
Building the East West Highways will not solve Cayman traffic issues.
What could provide immediate help is to get people to make a turn off Shamrock Road on to Hirst Road and then on to the Savannah bypass to Prospect. Some subsidised express bus routes from Breakers and Frank Sound to George Town and the surrounding areas would help.
Comparing Cayman to Bermuda is like comparing chalk and cheese. Bermuda average commutes is 2 to 3 miles while Cayman is 5 to 20+ miles. Bermuda has a ferry system that transports 1000’s of people each day and buses that do the same. The buses are also large and the drivers are not rude like the bus drivers here in the Cayman.
People in Cayman went berserk when the Government proposed to build a cruise ship dock, now with the much more long-term significant environment damages that this proposed road will cause, I cannot see how this road will be built in the next 20 years.
Y’all just need a viable bus system. Your island is tiny with crazy low elevation. You are about 10 years and one cat 5 hurricane away from nearly total obliteration. I’d think you’d be engaged in some long-range planning along those lines. Whoever is making infrastructure decisions does not appear to be very intelligent.
Please listen to the concerns of the public. There are more urgent and better ways to spend our money. That is my humble opinion.
In my opinion there are two main sources of eastern district traffic. The first is the geographical bottleneck at grand harbour made worst by the ad hoc development on both sides of the road in the area from tropical gardens to red bay. The second issue is that the majority of the main road from grand harbor east is lined with houses that would have to give up land to accommodate wider roads and public transport infrastructure.
Either the grand harbour stretch needs to be re engineered or more land needs to be reclaimed in the sound and have a road run north of grand harbor connecting the newlands bypass to industrial park (a traffic crap show in itself).
The EWA is cool and probably the right move for redundancy (pending conclusions on environmental impact) but it’s not going to significantly reduce the traffic issue from my humble perspective. In my opinion there are two main sources of eastern district traffic. The first is the geographical bottleneck at grand harbour made worst by the ad hoc development on both sides of the road in the area from tropical gardens to red bay. The second issue is that the majority of the main road from grand harbor east is lined with houses that would have to give up land to accommodate wider roads and public transport infrastructure.
Either the grand harbour stretch needs to be re engineered or more land needs to be reclaimed in the sound and have a road run north of grand harbor connecting the newlands bypass to industrial park (a traffic crap show in itself).
The EWA is cool and probably the right move to to provide back up routes (pending conclusions on environmental impact) but it’s not going to significantly reduce the traffic issue from my humble perspective.
Free International 2023 online EMF hazards summit (4 days) has started today.
DO NOT MISS IT.
“Are EMFs Harming Insects, Animals & All Life?” presentation by Prof. Olle Johansson is happening right now.
Once insects are gone, humans will follow.
https://emfhazards.com/ 202023 summit
It has everything to do with EWA extension.
This has nothing to do with reducing traffic congestion despite the irresponsible remarks by the premier but rather to benefit rich individuals with land locked properties.
Talking foolishness about reducing traffic congestion.
It’s pretty obvious they take us all for idiots.
Feed wild chickens or feral cats and go directly to jail & pay $500k.
Should be life.
🇧🇲Bermuda Main Island-14 miles long, 1 mile wide (13.98 sq.miles)
🇰🇾Grand Cayman – 22 miles long, 8 miles wide (76 sq.mil)
🇧🇲Bermuda Main Island population 63K
🇰🇾Grand Cayman population 69K
🇧🇲Bermuda Main Island population density: 3,465/sq.mile
🇰🇾Grand Cayman population density: 289/sq.mile
🇧🇲Bermuda Main Island Full size Public Bus routes – 11
🇰🇾Grand Cayman Full size Public Bus routes – NONE
🇧🇲Bermuda Main Island: estimated 49,000 vehicles on the road (2019)*
🇰🇾Grand Cayman : 42,728 vehicles on the road (2019)*
*A tale of two territories: How Bermuda deals with traffic, Compass, February 16, 2020
🇧🇲Bermuda Nature Reserves: over 200 acres of Government owned nature reserves plus privately owned nature reserves**
🇰🇾Grand Cayman Existing Protected Areas: Vidal Cay, Barkers National Park, Western Mangrove Cays, Booby Cay. Duck Pond Cay, Little Sound Environmental Zone
Meagre Bay Pond Animal Sanctuary, Lower Valley Dept. of Agriculture Forest Colliers Pond Animal Sanctuary***
**https://www.bermuda-attractions.com/bermuda_0001d3.htm
***https://conservation.ky/existing-protected-areas/
Bermuda – Racist shithole.
And how did your comment add to the conversation? Seriously, think a bit before you type.
According to the TOR, if youre coming from old man bay to GAB you’re averaging 2:45 commuting. that commute will drop to 1:50 with the EWA.
So the question is, does avg 55 minutes less driving and the benefit of a redundant routes outweigh the potential costs.
I think people are looking at this road as a solution to traffic but if the best gains are 55 minutes for people in Northside then it’s debatable how effective it is considering the grand harbor bottleneck. I think the major point of this road is the redundancy it offers. If you were here during Ivan you know what a mess it was on the coast and from that perspective it’s hard to quantify it’s value.
1 hour for 4,000 people times 2 is 8000 productive hours per day loss or 1000 working days saved every day with the extension. Think about how much time that will be a year.
This is 100% about land development and only about land development. The lying by politicians is beyond belief. The four-lane to Savannah has practically no traffic. So how does making it longer help the traffic jams?
Exactly!
Oh you right it’s about land development. Once the land in the east is no longer in the hands of Caymanians, this road will be a nonissue.
Once this road is built (a non-issue) the lands in the east will (soon) no longer belong to Caymanians.
Get over it the road is going east.
Over my dead body, hicatee killer!
no problem????
Not!
Mr. Gilbert McLean, please do not just go along with these idiots but look for real solutions to our traffic problems Sir! Solutions like getting a suitable transport system in place, reducing the number of imported cars and removing the thousands of derelict ones our roads. Destroying this special part of our ecosystem will not be a solution. Building more roads is not a solution period! This is madness to support greedy developers who will continue eastward in their destruction of our island. I voted for you in past elections and I have always trusted you. Many times you have been our hero by standing up for Caymanians and what is right. I hope that you are still that person and will find it in you to stand for the preservation of our island. Be our hero one more time.
I am with you on this @11:26 am. Simple solutions indeed that will be more cost effective and much easier and quicker to implement. Incidentally it is a more modern approach as well.
So sad reading the article as it is a certainty that the road will be built. CIG is not up to the task of governing itself.
Feeding wild chickens or feral cats punishment worse than destroying the environment
Good. Stop it!
‼️FOR ONCE, Do SOMETHING RIGHT‼️
If this extension must be build, for Pete’s sake do it right: It must be ELEVATED, AN OVERPASS (FLYOVER) ROAD with 100% safe bike lanes. Where the diverted traffic would flow? What about the trash from the passing cars that would eventually cover the ground?
Better yet, don’t build EWA! Start working on the Public Transportation System, it will take at least 3 years to do it right.
Port development was stopped, Smith Cove beautification was stopped. Time to stop this new craze. No need for inventing a bicycle (researchers, scientists, contractors,consultants, consultants), just start working in the full scale Public Transportation System as they have done it in Bermuda (Or Barbados).
I
You can have nice lanes but you a know a Jamaican in a Voxy is 90% certain to swerve around all of them and eventually crash into someone.
The point of the EIA is to IDENTIFY all threats, AND how best to mitigate them if the actual construction takes place.
If this road isn’t built, then I hope it’s the plan of this government, and those after, to stop the mass influx of people coming to Cayman! And for all of you whose parents moved here and got rich… you all are a big part of the problem we now find ourselves in with overpopulation.
All in this mess together.
I’m certainly for the EWA extension. BT is the fastest growing district for a couple decades now. People living in BT and east there-of are spending 4-5 hours a day in gridlock traffic. Yes more government entities and other businesses need to move out of central GT area is agreed. But the current ribbon of a road is simply not fit for purpose for a long time now. It’s unsafe. The EWA simply needs to be built with engineering that does as little damage as possible (think the roads linking the Florida Keys and much of Louisiana as well as the Netherlands) elevate where needed to allow for drainage. This project is long overdue!
🛑⛔️🛑⛔️🛑
A new pier project was stopped by We The People of the Cayman Islands. It is time to stop EWA project. It is time to stop the PACT’ priority project.
Still waiting on our referendum
Yes! Let us band together and stop this too. People power. I am ready.
⚠️WARNING⚠️WE ARE EXCEEDING ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITS
Rampant deforestation, uncontrolled expansion of building heights, unchecked garbage and emissions, zero recycling– as well as the exploitation of our marine life as sources of food – are creating a “perfect storm” for the spillover of diseases from wildlife to people.
We need to operate WITHIN environmental limits – that means stopping growth in BOTH consumption and population.
🟢Protect our environment
🟠Halt overexpansion
🔴Stop duplicity
Build better public transportation and scrap the plan to build road as we don’t need any more road!
Build a bridge over the area. Surely we can afford a subway system. Or a ferry.
Suvway 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
How about only building a 2 lane road? When it is ready it can take east bound traffic and the existing Shamrock Road could be changed to West bound traffic only. There will be cross link roads anyway. We may have to drive an extra mile or two but traffic should be smoother and less crashes. Something to consider.
New roads all leading to the already congested Capital – stupid; no real intention for an efficient public transport system – stupid; interior land owners lobby to open the interior; car importers lobby – ditto.
Bet the interior wetlands will be paved over in asphalt long before any real public transport system (if ever).
It’s all BS because morons are in charge, some with definite corrupt interests!
The public meetings should be interesting now, what with this enlightening report available.
After Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the then infrastructure Minister Gilbert McLean called for a hurricane resilient highway. Coincidentally, almost twenty years later, Mr. Gilbert McLean now finds himself back in the driving seat heading up the Roads Authority board. Fast forward to present day the new roads MP Jay Ebanks, who is also the rep for North Side, stated that he is fully committed to delivering a road corridor to his constituents. The Premier Wayne Panton, who is the rep for Newlands and helped to achieve the passing of our National Conservation Law in 2013, has also committed to delivering a road, calling for no development in the central mangrove wetlands. Deputy Premier and Finance MP Chris Saunders has been less vocal on the issue, and as the representative for Bodden Town West the district most likely to be sliced and diced, we hope he has his pulse on the costs/benefits projection on how we the country will pay for this capital project. John John, care to comment?
If Gilbert McLean, with all of his knowledge and experience allows himself to be used to destroy this special area of this island to build a non-solution road for our traffic problems, I will lose all respect for him and never forgive him. He knows better and I for one expect better from him.
Have you seen who else is on the Board? Gilbert is only the figurehead.
Aargh…traffic, building more roads won’t fix it. With current population growth at a whopping 10.5% if yah think the roads are congested now, we ain’t seen nothin yet bobo!
What kind of person thinks 2 hours of a human’s life is worth more than the total existence of several very rare species? Hmm?
A Caymanian.
Sincerely,
Turtles
Asshole.
Written by a true expat.
Maybe someone who truly cares about the environment of Cayman; expat or generational Caymanian who has the bal.s NOT to support selling out to developers desires. The fact you are suggesting sarcastically that the writer is an expat, indicates you may be Caymanian. If so SHAME ON YOU, for siding with destroying an ecologically pristine area of Cayman for a… road to facilitate more development.
Not getting in the expat/caymanian argument, but just to mention something. I understand that both sides of the roads (from the shoulder outwards) could be declared “environmentally protected land. Which means no one can access any land off of the new road. Hence stopping g the developers and real estate agents. ALSO please note that even if private heads, any land in there with mangroves is a nonstarter for developers. That land is designated as protected because of the mangroves. DoE won’t give approval for it to be destroyed.
Except DoE has no ability to declare private lands undevelopable, mangroves or not. – See any of the recent wetland developments in South Sound or points north and east.
Interesting idea to declare the Crown Land shoulders on either side of the highway ‘protected’ as that would indeed keep the highway a highway and not slow traffic down by the proliferation of side-accesses that attach to the highways, e.g., Linford Pierson Highway.
In an ideal world what you said would come true. But this is Cayman and all the ‘protections’ will be ignored, rejected and the environment destroyed for this road.
Exactly. Here criticizing everything about cayman, but can’t bear to leave to return back home.
Someone with more than 2 kids, who spends 4 hours a day burning gas in traffic – further polluting the atmosphere, who has to deal with family life after getting home, resulting in perpetual sleep deprivation to the point I want to off myself.
This road, if it helps traffic at all, will be worth it to me. Traffic pollutes and damages the environment.
A road will not fix your need to “deal with family life.”
Logic fail
The Department of the Environment should be renamed to be the Department of Turtles, Mosquitos and Iguanas. There is just no concern for the human environment. These “enviromental” nuts would prefer for everyone to sit in their cars for hours every day, to “save” the swamp. Thank goodness Marco Giglioli was able to do his research which resulted in the building of countless dike roads to eradicate and control the mosquitos. Nowadays, it would be impossible and the cows would still be suffocating from too many mosquitos at night.
Government in charge of this rodeo so this road can’t reach in your liftime. Better to lobby for public transport and get cars off the road to speed up traffic- just sayin!
One with landlocked parcels or development plans
Dart
Tear down the glasshouse, lay down a helipad, commence commuter helicopter service.
Have more offices move out further east based on the location of their employees. If the majority of your staff live that way it makes sense. I don’t like the idea of increasing construction in the east but on a small scale, it might be practical. Like maybe move some government departments that way.
What happened to the PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION system that the great Kenny went away to set up?????
This is just a distraction while they plough through the remnants of the Ironwood Forest.
I have come to the realization that premier wayne panton is just a name on a name plate in the deputy governors Office! Sad Cayman sad!
Most of us feel DOE has gotten too powerful and flexing muscles that they don’t need to, we must have a balance for progressive development
Utter rubbish. How often is the DOE actually listened to? Look at all the construction they say should be set back only for them to be completely ignored. They don’t do anything out of spite but to help us and the environment. These imbeciles who bought property too close to the sea will soon realize why the setbacks are suggested.
The riad won’t increase emissions, it will reduce them.
What emissions are coming from thousands of cars sitting in traffic? Get on with it.
Oh John, do try to read the report or at lesst have someone read it to you.
And they want to use $21m tax payers money to replenish the beach which will be washed out to sea every nor’wester.
Most of us dwvelopers, right?
You know the DoE doesn’t have the authority to stop the road, right? Just the authority to say the road should be built with all the information (the EIA).
So for instance: How much rain would flow over the road from Bodden Town to the CMW? How do you build the road so that the natural water drainage can keep working?
Do you seriously think it’s smart to bulldoze immediately, in the cheapest way, and THEN find out it floods Bodden Town?
Progressive Development, such as perhaps a road that doesn’t flood out the homes around it? Point 4.3.9 in the draft TORs. And for those worried about climate impacts of the road vs no road, section 4.7. This whole EIA thing sounds pretty progressive development.
As a resident of the eastern districts; I can attest that something definitely has to be done about the traffic issue – but the potential damage as outlined in this article does sound devastating and saddening.
I wonder what the possibility of converting the current shamrock road in to a four lane road from Spotts Newlands to Frank Sound road would be?
There would be quite a bit of land buy-out needed, some home relocations and infrastructure movements such as water lines and light poles… but the fragile midland ecosystem would be left alone and we would have a flow of traffic from east to town.
In the meantime, please add another lane to the Spotts stretch going east which would join these four new lanes (two going and two leaving east)
Decentralize George Town, stagger work times and allow persons to work from home. Simple solutions.
And not a danger to anyone or anything, unlike the EWA
Man you need to be Premier