Gov’t Focusing on Repairing Local and Community Roads This Year
By: , January 5, 2024
Photo: JIS File
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (centre), and wife, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, who is also Speaker of the House of Representatives, are flanked by several Ministers of Government, representatives of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), agency representatives and other interests during the official opening of the May Pen to Williamsfield leg of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project. The highway was opened on September 14.
Photo: JIS File
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (left), points to something of interest while walking along a paved section of the Grants Pen roadway during a tour of the St. Thomas leg of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP) on April 13. He is accompanied by personnel from the National Works Agency (NWA) and China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC).The Full Story
The Government will be placing “direct focus” on repairing local and community roads this year, says Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness.
He gave this assurance in his 2024 New Year’s Message as he announced a $20-billion budget allocation.
Noting that there has not been a comprehensive and sustained programme of road repairs for some time, Mr. Holness said of the approximately 22,000km of roadway in Jamaica, about 50 per cent are assessed to be in less-than-suitable driving condition or in need of total rehabilitation.
“Obviously, we cannot repair and rehabilitate 11,000km of road in a year, but we must begin to address this decades-long neglect,” he said.
Mr. Holness advised that elected representatives will be tasked with holding community consultations to determine the first set of roads to be repaired and rehabilitated from the funding allocation.
“Instead of protests and demonstrations over road conditions, we believe the Jamaican people should be given the forum and listening ear, where their voice and concerns can be heard and you can have a say in the repair of your roads,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Holness informed that work continues on the Montego Bay perimeter road, which is a multi-year project that will transform road and traffic conditions in St. James and Westmoreland.
He further indicated that early this year, the dualised highway from Harbour View to Morant Bay, along with several segments heading to Port Antonio that feature improved water mains, broadband internet, and sewerage in some instances, will be opened.
Work is also set to begin on Grange Lane in Portmore, St. Catherine, along with a new entrance to Portmore, which will ease traffic conditions on the Mandela Highway.
“We will begin work to widen the bridge on Washington Boulevard, and work is far advanced on improvements to Tom Redcam [Drive] and Lady Musgrave Road, which will improve traffic flows in Kingston,” Mr. Holness detailed.