The Ministry of Public Works is pleased to advise the public that improvement works to the Horseshoe Bay Transportation Hub are nearing completion and the hub will be open to the public on May 1, as scheduled.
This means that there will be regular access to Horseshoe Bay Beach, via the main entrance off South Road, as of May 1.
As members of the public will be aware, the main access to the beach has been closed since improvement works began in late-January, with the exception of Good Friday where the hub had a 'soft opening' for that day only.
It should be noted that there will still be ongoing minor works such as foliage planting, soil stabilization, and bathroom painting. Also, on May 1 and May 2 crews will be putting the final touches on the pedestrian beach pathway. Motorists are asked to maneuver with care and be mindful of the remaining work that is being done.
"I am naturally very pleased that this project has been completed on schedule," said the Minister of Public Works the Hon. Craig Cannonier JP MP. "The improvement works will greatly increase the ease of transport and accessibility at the beach, as per the Bermuda ‘Beach Vision’."
The Beach Vision states that the Bermuda beach experience should be “iconic, memorable for its natural beauty, complemented by cleanliness and casual amenities that are culturally authentic — true to the island’s attitude of unpretentious relaxation and warm hospitality”.
The concession at Horseshoe Bay Beach will also now be open for business. The public may recall that owners and operators of the Bermuda Bistro at the Beach were awarded the tender for the Horseshoe Bay Beach concession last year. Chops Ltd, which also runs Red Steakhouse and Bar, promises a “classic, vibrant, laid-back Bermuda beach experience”.
The following changes have now been made to the transportation area:
- Pedestrian traffic and vehicular traffic have been separated to allow for smooth & safer operations.
- The public will no longer share parking spaces with taxis and minibuses. The previous system actually decreased the amount of public parking spaces that were available. Now separate parking areas have been installed for public and commercial vehicles, by installing a transportation hub for taxis/buses and separate car/bike parking area.
- The car/bike parking area is equipped with five accessible parking spaces marked in blue (there were previously three), 46 car stalls (there were previously 42), and 147 bike spaces (there were previously 97) and two dedicated drop-off areas. These drop-off areas can also be used for additional parking spaces during special beach events.
- The new transportation hub will serve the taxis, shuttles, minibuses and PTB buses with their own dedicated drop-off and pick-up areas and active parking spaces within the transportation hub. Taxis/buses are encouraged to keep rotating through the transportation hub and not utilize parking spaces waiting for fares. Taxis, shuttles and minibuses operators who wish to wait, can park on the hill at the eastern parking area until their pick-up time.
- The Park’s Department now has their own dedicated storage area. Parks staff vehicles and emergency vehicles will have the right to park anywhere within transportation hub, car/bike parking areas.
- Emergency vehicles will be able to enter the beach through the service road along the fence line or through the pedestrian beach access path, which has removable bollards in case of an emergency.
- All pedestrian traffic has been diverted onto an 8ft boardwalk coming down from South Road. The boardwalk accommodates a large viewing deck with seating bench and a lower deck with seating bench and access to the existing alternative beach pathway.
- Passengers waiting to be picked up can wait along the seating bench wall around the transportation hub or in the dedicated waiting area between the service road and the pedestrian beach access path.
- The entire access road, parking lots and transportation hub have been equipped with LED street lighting to improve area security.
- A new potable water line has been installed to supply the bathrooms and the concession building from Bermuda Waterworks' mainline in South Road.
- Improvements have been made to the drainage systems by cleaning out and extending the roadway cross drainage grates, placing swales along the roadway edge, installing multiple catch basins and one borehole to drain transportation hub and parking lot areas.
- Raising the prior existing lower parking lot and lowering the upper parking lot to be above flood level.
- Additional seating areas have been added to accommodate waiting pedestrians along the transportation hub.
- Bathroom facilities have been upgraded with new outdoor showers, bathroom gates, electrical room doors and locks, toilets, shower heads, sinks, countertop & faucets. Painting works were also done on the shower, toilet and changing room doors.
- Previous tiles at the bathroom entrance and outdoor showers have been replaced with non-slip tiles.
The Ministry of Public Works would like to acknowledge the following entities for their dedication and hard work in completing the project within a tight construction schedule: Somers Construction, Horsfield Landscape & Design Ltd., Island Construction, East End Asphalting, Atlantic Water Development, Q-ship Enterprises, BUE/Universal Electric, Belco, One Communicatinons, William Frey Ltd., SAL Trading, Fast Services Ltd., OBMI, Entech Limited, Clarico Ltd., Bermuda Waterworks Limited, the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Environment.