Trade unionist lawmaker criticizes uncoordinated road works
Lawmaker Ella Lei questioned the government about road works across the city, some of which have been repeated and have resulted in complicated conditions for drivers.
She recapped that road works are frequent in Macau, with summer being the peak period. She said that residents are seeking better coordination of road works and would like to see these projects expedited to lessen the impact on the public.
Lei criticized that many road works that took place this summer occurred on main roads and had long durations and large scopes, causing significant impact to both drivers and pedestrians.
Although the government coordination group for road works has stepped up its efficiency in recent years, the lawmaker pointed out that it was not uncommon for road works to be behind schedule.
Citing earlier replies from the government to lawmakers’ inquiries, Lei highlighted that of all public work projects, 57% in 2020 and 46% in 2021 concluded behind schedule. Various reasons have led to the delays, including adjustments to construction plans, and a combination of sub-projects and delays in tender openings.
The massive number of projects and delays in their conclusions have increasingly led to more severe traffic congestion, with residents reporting repeated road works affecting the same areas or sections of road, the lawmaker noted.
She also cited residents who reported that in some projects, after excavation commenced and equipment was brought to site, progress appeared to stall and few workers were seen to be working.
Based on these observations, the lawmaker set out a few questions for the government. First, she asked how the government would make improvements in evaluating reasonable work delivery periods and monitoring work progress.
Secondly, she requested data about worker placements and progress updates in projects that are underway. She also requested updates about the composition of the Public Road Work Coordination System Executive Regulations.
