Lead Stories

Sheena Gayle, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

A broken sewer pipe along a busy thoroughfare in Montego Bay, and the reopening of schools, could combine to cause peak-hour travel woes for commuters who are already experiencing delays on the Bogue main road.

Heavy rains on the weekend busted a National Water Commission (NWC) sewer pipe, causing havoc at the Bevin Avenue intersection and the Catherine Hall thoroughfare, which connects Montego Bay to other northwestern parishes.

Marl which acted as a buttress for the embedded pipe was reportedly being eroded for some time, but the situation was excerbated by Saturday's hours-long downpour.

Communications and customer service manager at the National Works Agency, Stephen Shaw, said his organisation closed the road on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. "after a section of the roadway washed away due to a disruption of a National Water Commission sewer pipe".

Dr Horace Chang, minister of water and housing, told The Gleaner that the National Water Commission (NWC) was aware of the problem and had been charged to find a fix.

"We should be able to correct the problem for back-to-school tomorrow (Monday), as we are working around the clock to ensure that is fixed," he sought to assure.

Building officer for the Ministry of Education's Region Four, Marlon Grinion, who was on the scene, expressed worry at the gridlock likely to occur as classes resume, especially if the problem is not corrected quickly.

"Yes, I am concerned, as more persons will be using this roadway on Monday. But we were given the commitment by NWC that the problem will be corrected," Grinion said.

sheena.gayle@gleanerjm.com