Minister Henry says constructing retaining walls is JDIP priority

Minister of Transport and Works, Hon Mike Henry, has said that priority will be placed on constructing retaining walls to protect roadways under the Jamaica Infrastructure Development Programme (JIDP).
“They are of particular importance in keeping areas safe, by preventing damage, loss of life and property and preserving investment in road assets,” Mr. Henry said.
He explained that this was particularly important as breakaways, which have reduced some roads to single traffic and, in some cases, completely cut off vehicular access, are addressed.
The Minister who was speaking at the Post Cabinet press briefing Wednesday (October 27) at Jamaica House, gave some examples of road breakaways including Border to Cuffy Gully in St. Mary and Cedar Valley to Trinityville, St. Thomas.
He stated that there are nine retaining wall projects to be undertaken in the earliest phase of the JIDP, in St. Andrew, St. Mary, Portland, St. Elizabeth, St. Catherine, St. Ann and St. Thomas. The communities include Halls Delight, Cavaliers Breakaway, Goulbourne Road, Jacks Hill Road and Persimmon Avenue Gully in St. Andrew; Comfort Castle in St. Thomas; Border to Cuffy Gully in St. Mary; Black River Sea Wall in St. Elizabeth; and the RCB Culvert, Highfield Drive in Spanish Town.
“All those projects involve technical wall construction, mostly in multiple locations, with accompanying road reinstatement and drainage works,” Mr. Henry pointed out.
Meanwhile, the road works component of the programme will gradually address the long standing issue of poor road conditions islandwide, he said. This includes main roads and housing scheme roads, as well as roads that need maintenance.
“Housing schemes with significant population and deplorable roads will be targeted, initially, and improvements will be made to road surfaces and drainage systems,” Mr. Henry said.
He added that there were two such projects immediately on the horizon, namely Karlston Glades in Buck Haven, Clarendon project, which will be fixed at a cost of $360 million and the Fairview Park community roads in St. Catherine to be fixed at a cost of $180 million.
Other roads to be rehabilitated include: Baileys Vale to Fontabelle and Oracabessa to Fontabelle in St. Mary, at a cost of $126.4 million; Mocho to Springfield in St. Elizabeth at a cost of $152.6 million; and the Woodford to Maryland Square in St. Mary, at a cost of $40.9 million.