$501 Million to Repair Roads, Gullies and Drains

Eight contracts valued at $501.2 million were signed on February 10, by the Minister of Transport and Works, Michael Henry, for the repair of roads, gullies and drains across the island.
Of the amount, $123.3 million will be spent for rehabilitation and overlay works on 14.6 kilometres of roadway from Swansea Jerk Shop, through Colgate to Orange Hill, part of Fern Gully, in St. Ann.
Minister Henry informed that this project is the first of a three- part project, dubbed the Fern Gully Restoration and Rehabilitation Programme, which would restore the area, which was severely damaged by flood rains last year.
“This is long overdue, as it is an area that appeals to the tourism visitor market and so we are moving post haste to take it back to a level at which we can all be proud,” he said, and outlined the significance of this project to preserve the area as an eco-tourism attraction, and plans to realign the proposed Toll Road to divert traffic from Fern Gully.
In Kingston and St. Andrew, repairs will be done on the U-Drain at Ardenne High School, at a cost of $23.7 million, while $29.3 million will be spent on Wickham Road.
The Minister also pointed out that a reinforced concrete wall and gully invert would be constructed at Shortwood Drive, in St. Andrew, as part of the emergency repairs to the Gully Network Tropical Storm Gustav Programme.
Meanwhile, a sum $141 million has been awarded to Pavement and Structures Limited, to effect repairs to the Gutters to Freetown main road in St. Catherine. This, the Minister said, would be carried out under Package One of the Road Resurfacing Programme.
A $99.8 million contract was also signed for Dwight’s Construction Limited, to effect repairs to the Guys Hill to Windsor Castle, Gayle to Dressikie/Union Hill, Windsor Castle to Wood Park main roads, Barclays Town Road, Bagnal Road and the Heartlands culvert and road in St. Mary.
River training works will be carried out by Morris Hill Limited, at Laughlands, Little River, in St. Ann, as part of the Northern Coastal Highway Improvement Project, at a cost of $9.9 million, while in Manchester, $29.8 million will be spent to repair the Walderston to Contrivance road.
The Minister urged contractors to make every effort to do the work within the prescribed budgets. “Please get your lights up and get your 24- hour work going,” he appealed, emphasising that “shoddy work will not be tolerated.” He also implored residents in the areas where work would be carried out, to support the projects being carried out in their communities.