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NWA Clears 768 Roads

September 23, 2004

The Full Story

The total number of blocked roads reported to the National Works Agency (NWA), since the onslaught of Hurricane Ivan has jumped to more than 1,000.
“Up to yesterday (September 22), we have received 1,033 reports of roads being blocked. Of that number, we have cleared 768, which is well over 70 per cent,” Communications and Customer Relations Manager, Vando Palmer told JIS News.
Most of the NWA’s 5,000 kilometres of main roads are now open, assured Mr. Palmer. For the other Parish Council-controlled roads, which have not yet been cleared, the agency is awaiting further direction from the relevant authorities.
“We are still waiting on the Parish Councils to submit their list of roads [that are blocked], as well as a priority listing of those roads, so that we can assist in clearing them,” he explained.
Although the NWA has done its best to clear or provide access to as many of the blocked roads as possible, several remain impassable to date.
The Cooper’s Hill to Hardware Gap main road in St. Andrew, which was previously cleared, is now blocked again and the NWA is working in earnest to clear this road.
In St. Thomas, the Hallhead to Negro River Bridge and Belvedere to Hallhead main road, Windsor Forest to Mahogany Vale and Yallahs to Petersfield roads are all closed at this time, Mr. Palmer pointed out.
“The river has come across the roadway and we will have to wait until the water recedes before it is re-opened. We don’t want anybody to go out there and try to go through that area and get into difficulty, so we have closed those roads,” he told JIS News.
When the thoroughfare is once again free from floodwater, the NWA plans to create a ford in that location.
Over in Westmoreland, the Seaford Town to Pisgah main road and Bethel Town to Lamb’s River road are blocked. The alternative routes are Ashton through Dundee, and Bethel Town through York, outlined Mr. Palmer.
The Williamsfield to Glengoffe main road in St. Catherine is blocked at Mount Industry by a large boulder and extensive land slippages.
In Clarendon, the Mocho to Frankfield, Sandy River to Macknie, and Grantham to Trout Hall roads have all suffered massive breakaways.
Over in St. James, the Point to Flamstead Gardens main road is impassable because of a breakaway at Tangle River. The alternative route is through Maroon Town and Vaugnsfield. The Flamstead to Mocho section of the road is impassable because of washed-out culverts.
In Trelawny, the Falmouth to Springvale main road is flooded at Logwood Valley and the alternative route is through Gales Valley to Hampden and then back to Wakefield. There are extensive land slippages along the Wirefence to Warsop main road that has rendered the road impassable.
The Ulster Spring to Stettin and Freeman’s Hall to German Town main road in South Trelawny is cut off in about two or three places and the Highgate Hall to Stettin roadway also has a number of land slippages along that thoroughfare.
In St. Elizabeth, the Thornton to Appleton thoroughfare is flooded at the Appleton Bridge. The New Market to Carmel main road is closed and the alternative route is via the Kepp to Kilmarnock Bypass and then back to Carmel. The Claremont Park to Malvern road in Southwest St. Elizabeth is also closed. The New Market to Jacks Gate main road is closed and the alternative route is through New Market down to the New Savannah Bypass.

Last Updated: September 23, 2004

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