T he Government continued to demonstrate its commitment to improving the country’s road infrastructure to reduce travel time and ensure the connectivity and productivity of urban centres, by embarking on, and completing several rehabilitation projects islandwide.
Maintenance of Secondary Roads
• A sum of $1.58 billion was spent to undertake works on several community roadways across the island, under the National Works Agency (NWA) Maintenance of Secondary Roads Programme.
• Work was completed on the Hampden to Adelphi roadway at a cost of $22.7 million, as well as upgrading works along a section of the North Gully, located in the Green Pond community, at a cost of $10 million.
• Rehabilitation of the Somerton to Virgin Valley roadway, was completed at a cost of $21.8 million.
• Several roadways across western parishes were repaired under the $160 million Hot Mix Patching Programme, including several corridors in Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James and Trelawny.
Other Road Projects
• The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) rolled out a major road rehabil-itation project in Treadlight, Clarendon, at a cost of approximately $150 million.
• The Guava Ridge to Content Gap roadway in East Rural St. Andrew was
rehabilitated at a cost of $253 million.
• Several retaining walls were restored and drainage systems repaired along roadways serving nine communities in East Rural St. Andrew, at a cost of $30 million.
• NWA collaborated with the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) to complete road-marking activities over the 57-kilometre stretch from Runaway Bay, St. Ann to Rose Hall in St. James, at a cost of $65.4 million.
• Also, through partnership with TEF, the NWA commenced improvements along sections of West End Road in Negril, Westmoreland.
• NWA also completed special projects to rehabilitate community and parochial roads that are used to access social institutions such as schools, health centres and churches, at a cost of $173.6 million.
• Two tranches of mitigation activities were undertaken in May and November under the Government’s Islandwide Mitigation Programme, at a cost of $956 million.
• NWA cleaned gullies and drains islandwide at a cost of $179.8 million
Recovery Assistance for Road Repairs Following Heavy Rains
• Government spent $2.35 billion to clear landslides, reopen roadways and undertake temporary restorative works due to infrastructural damage caused by the passage of Tropical Storms Laura, Delta, Zeta and Eta.
• Work advanced on the Gordon Town alternative road in Savage Pen, east rural St. Andrew, which is being undertaken at a cost of $60 million.
Bridges
• A new bridge in Bowden Hill, St. Andrew was commissioned into service at a cost of $31 million.
• A rehabilitated bridge was opened along Liguanea Avenue in St. Andrew, at a cost of $26.5 million.
• The renovated East Palm Bridge in Port Antonio was officially opened at a cost of $24.3 million.
