Toll Authority Ensuring Roads Are Up To Standard
By: , May 27, 2021
Photo: Michael Sloley
Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague, speaking during his contribution to the 2021/22 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 26.The Full Story
The Toll Authority of Jamaica is working to ensure that the country’s toll roads continue to be on par with international standards.
Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague, said that two escape lanes on Edward Seaga Highway were recently redone and improved to bring them up to agreed benchmarks.
In addition, he said that the authority is working with the National Works Agency (NWA) to address concerns regarding the toll road in Mammee Bay, St. Ann.
He said that the concerns relate to the fact that “you end/begin a highway at a roundabout and when exiting you are coming downhill and do not have the right of way,” noting that discussions to reach a possible solution “are far advanced”.
Minister Montague said that the authority is also awaiting the extension of the P.J. Patterson Highway.
He was making his contribution to the 2021/22 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 26.
Turning to developments at the Island Traffic Authority, Minister Montague informed that the Learner Driver Road Code test is doing well as “we transition over time to full electronic testing. We anticipate that this will result in more persons appreciating our road code”.
Solar lighting upgrades will continue at the depots, so too the digitisation of records. In addition, Minister McKenzie said that geofencing for vehicles that are to be examined is far advanced.
“We are moving to acquire four driving simulators… as part of the yard test to ensure that people have control of the vehicle before going on the road. The networking of each depot is complete and they are all linked,” he noted.
The Minister told the House that Col. Daniel Pryce has been appointed the new Director General of the Island Traffic Authority and the recent rotation of senior members has brought new ideas to the entity.
He said that Ministry is “excited about the new plans that are in place and we continue to build out the new structure of the body while we continue to implement innovative plans”.