$274 Million To Be Spent On Road Improvement Programme
By: April 7, 2014 ,The Key Point:
The Facts
- The project aims to strengthen the core activities of planning, programming and budgeting for the road sector.
- The project is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Government of Jamaica, and is scheduled to end by March 2015.
The Full Story
The Government is to spend $273.9 million on its Road Improvement Programme to promote the creation of a self-sustainable system for a safe and reliable road network.
This is contained in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure, which is to be considered by the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament from April 8 to 10.
The project aims to strengthen the core activities of planning, programming and budgeting for the road sector; and the maintenance, design, and construction of roads within the national framework under the remit of the National Works Agency.
Achievements up to March 2014 include: the procurement of goods and services to facilitate road markings and signage; procurement of goods and services for road safety improvement; 90 per cent completion of sidewalk in Papine, St. Andrew; 95 per cent completion of sidewalk construction in Negril, Westmoreland; and 80 per cent completion of traffic signal upgrading at selected intersections.
Targets for 2014/15 include: completion of improvements to traffic signals; continued training in the procurement of equipment, goods and services necessary to facilitate the institutional strengthening of the Road Safety Unit; completion of civil works; and continuous bushing along 270km of the 300km long Northern highway corridor.
The project is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Government of Jamaica, and is scheduled to end by March 2015.