Designs Already Done for Overhead Bridges in Corporate Area – Pickersgill

Minister of Housing, Transport, Water and Works, Hon. Robert Pickersgill has reiterated that the Government was still looking at introducing overhead bridges in the Corporate Area, in order to improve the flow of traffic.
Mr. Pickersgill pointed out that the construction of overhead bridges would play a vital role in easing traffic congestion, which has become a major concern for the travelling public in the Kingston Metropolitan Area.
“The fact is.we are now into the era of overhead bridges and we can’t escape that, because there is traffic as we move up from Marcus Garvey to the Portia Simpson Miller square and it gets closer and closer to Half-Way-Tree,” the Minister said.
“Traffic congestion is upon us; it is a matter that is not arising, it has arisen,” he added.
Mr. Pickersgill was updating journalists about the various programmes and projects being undertaken by the Ministry, at a press briefing held at the Jamaica Pegasus last week.
Responding to questions as to when the overhead bridges would be introduced, the Minister said that this would depend, to a great extent, on the availability of financial resources.
“Let me just say that all the studies and designs have been done. We have all of them, but at the end of the day it is always a question of resources,” he said.
He noted, however, that the Government was looking at the various ways in which a project of this nature could be funded, including investment from international sources.
“Investment is quite possible, but still, unless the terms are very favourable, the whole debt thing comes into play. There are certain commitments that the government, through the Minister of Finance, has to give, because if there is not a clear way that you can clear your debts, then you won’t be able to get more loans to do some of these things,” he said.
In the meantime, Mr. Pickersgill said that the Ministry has done a substantial amount of work in order to improve traffic flow in and out of the Corporate Area. Chief among them is the completion of segments of Highway 2000, to include the Bushy Park to Sandy Bay leg, the Portmore leg, the Dyke Road, and Marcus Garvey Drive.
“You’ll recall that up until recently..there was serious congestion at Marcus Garvey Drive, but with new traffic changes, we have noted great improvement there,” he said.
“And, we are not yet finished with the new traffic arrangements as they affect Marcus Garvey Drive. We still expect some more improvement and we will be dealing with that shortly,” the Minister added.
Mr. Pickersgill noted that work being undertaken on the Mandela Highway would be completed soon.