Several Roads Being Rehabilitated in St. James

The National Works Agency (NWA) is undertaking a number of road rehabilitation projects in St. James, at a cost of approximately $88.5 million.

Community Relations Officer at the NWA’s Western Regional Office, Janel Ricketts, told JIS News that five roadways in the parish are being given attention and are currently at different stages of completion.

The thoroughfares being rehabilitated are the Montego Hills Main road, a section of Farm Heights Boulevard, Blue Hole roadway, Somerton to Virgin Valley main road and a section of Catherine Drive.

The scope of work includes drainage improvement, laying of new base and paving with asphaltic concrete.

Speaking to the rehabilitation of the Montego Hills roadway, Ms. Ricketts said the contract is valued at $24.5 million.

“The project involves the complete rehabilitation of a 350-metre stretch of that particular roadway. We are in the early stages of that contract and this is expected to be completed within another two months,” she informed.

She further pointed out that the work along the two-kilometre stretch on Farm Heights Boulevard started early May.

‘”We are currently in the preliminary stage of this particular project and we expect to be completed within another three months,” Ms. Ricketts said.

In the meantime, she noted that the road improvement work along the Blue Hole roadway is 70 per cent complete.

“This complements earlier work which was completed along that same stretch of roadway. We have a $9.6-million contract, which involves not just the resurfacing of the roadway but also the improvement of the drainage system along this stretch of road. We are now in the process of completing the asphalting of this section as well as the remaining drainage features,” she said.

The road improvement work along Catherine Drive is valued at $7 million, while the contract to rehabilitate the Somerton to Virgin Valley thoroughfare is valued at $21.8 million.