Joseph Cunningham, Gleaner Writer

Traffic piles up on the Mandela Highway on October 23, 2005 after the thoroughfare was innundated by flood waters. - Ian Allen Staff/Photographer

Major road works are in the pipeline for the Mandela highway, according to information out of the National Works Agency (NWA).

Steven Shaw, communications manger at the NWA told The Gleaner on Monday, that as a precautionary measure against flooding, the roadway spanning from the Six Mile Roundabout to Twickenham Park on the Mandela Highway would be elevated.

He added that the planned developments have come against the background of last year's flooding on the Mandela Highway that made it virtually impassable due to consistent rains during the 2005 hurricane season.

While he was unable to tell when roadworks would begin and did not disclose a possible source of funding for the construction exercise, he said, "This is an effort to prevent any reoccurrence of the overflowing of the swamp unto the highway."

However, minor efforts are ongoing, as the NWA has been removing debris from the Fresh and the Duhaney river. "After the flooding, the services of some of the best local engineers were solicited. They advised us (NWA) that cleaning both rivers would significantly reduce the possibility of flooding," Mr. Shaw said.