NWA Working to Clear Roads in Western Parishes

The National Works Agency (NWA) continues to work to clear blocked roads in the parishes of St. James, Westmoreland, Hanover and Trelawny.

In an interview with JIS News, Community Relations Officer at the NWA’s Western Office, Janel Ricketts, said there has been damage to roads in the parishes due to the passage of Hurricane Beryl.

“Several roadways have been damaged by way of inundation [as well as] washed down silt and debris. There are some roadways that are partially blocked by downed power lines as well as trees. Currently, the NWA has teams out working actively to restore access to affected roadways,” she informed.

As of Sunday (July 7), a total of 10 roadways in Hanover had single lane access, while the NWA worked to clear fallen power lines and debris.

In addition, five roads were blocked, four due to downed power lines and poles and one because of a fallen tree.

Two of the roadways along the north coast highway, from Great River to Negril, were cleared.

Other sections were being assessed.

Westmoreland, 18 control sections were being assessed with one roadway cleared.

Some 17 thoroughfares in the parish had single lane access, and none of the roads were blocked.

Over in St. James, the NWA reported that as of July 6, a total of 23 control sections were assessed, with 11 being clear, 11 reduced to single lane traffic and one road was blocked.

In Trelawny, 20 roadways were assessed, nine of which had single lane traffic at unresolved spots, and another nine were open to two lanes with cleaning in progress.

Two roadways, Wakefield to Hampden and Falmouth to Springvale, were flooded.

Additionally, water at the Moefield community section of the Falmouth to Springvale roadway had subsided.

Category four Hurricane Beryl affected the island on July 3, with southern parishes being most affected.