Hellshire Bridge to Be Constructed At a Cost of $69 Million

The Government has signed a $69 million contract with YP Seaton and Associates for the construction of the Hellshire Bridge in Portmore, St. Catherine.

Construction is set to begin by the end of June, and will last for six months. The bridge is the only link to the community of Hellshire, and has been closed since last year due to structural weaknesses. A detour road is currently being used to access the community.

Speaking at a signing ceremony, held at the Portmore Municipal Council, today (June 16), Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Hon. Richard Azan, said that extensive monitoring will be done by the National Works Agency (NWA) to ensure that quality work is undertaken.

Urging residents of the area to play their part for a timely completion of the project, Mr. Azan said they should “cooperate with the contractor and the team (NWA), to make sure that we can finish the project on time, and within budget.”

For his part, Acting Mayor of Portmore, Councillor Leon Thomas, said the residents have been inconvenienced, due to limited use of the detour road, and expressed his desire for the bridge to be completed on time.

He also urged motorists to drive carefully on the Hellshire main road, as several serious motor vehicle crashes have taken place on that stretch of roadway. “I want you to exercise caution, don’t speed,” he said.

“With the completion of this bridge, I want all motorists to obey the traffic signs and the speed limit. If we do that, we will be safe,” the Acting Mayor told the audience.