95 Per Cent of Roads Cleared – NWA

The National Works Agency (NWA) is reporting that it has cleared 95 per cent of roads that were blocked due to the passage of Hurricane Beryl.

Communications and Customer Service Manager at the NWA, Stephen Shaw, made the disclosure during the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport’s July 8 press conference at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) Auditorium in New Kingston.

“We have, to date, received some 476 reports of roads being impacted. Happily, we have been able to clear some 95 per cent of those roads to either single lane, or they have been fully reopened,” he said.

The NWA has reopened roads in the parishes of Portland, Westmoreland, Trelawny, St. Ann, Kingston, and St. Mary.

“These parishes, as of now, have no corridor that remains impassable,” Mr. Shaw said.

He noted that several thoroughfares in the parishes of Hanover, Clarendon and St. Andrew remain impassable.

In addition, the NWA continues to work in St. Thomas, St. Catherine, Manchester, St. Elizabeth, and St. James.

Mr. Shaw informed that the agency will be conducting damage assessments of infrastructure islandwide that may have been impacted by the storm.

“We are mindful of the impact of the system on structures… . Once we are through with the cleaning and clearing… the assessment of structures will begin,” he said.

Mr. Shaw said the NWA will be inspecting bridges, abutments, piers, and other infrastructure to ensure these are structurally sound to ensure public safety.

“The piers we have to check on them, as well, to make sure they were not damaged and where we determine that something might have happened, we will treat with those situations… as a matter of urgency,” he noted.

Mr. Shaw reminded members of the public to proceed with caution at the signalised intersections that remain out of service.