Morgan: 200 hurricane-damaged roads to be repaired under $1.7b GO Programme

The Government says approximately 200 roads damaged by Hurricane Melissa will be repaired by the end of March under a $1.7 billion emergency programme.

Minister in charge of works Robert Morgan provided the update at Wednesday's post-Cabinet news conference. He also gave a breakdown of the sums allocated under the programme, which commenced in December.

The works will be done under the Graded Overlay Emergency Road Rehabilitation (GO Programme).

"We're gonna to be touching approximately 200 roads under this program by the end of March," he said.

The minister said the GO Programme is proceeding despite delays caused by heavy rainfall and the temporary closure of asphalt plants.

“Most of the contractors have either presented their insurance to the National Works Agency, which is a criterion under the procurement process, or they are in the process of getting their insurance. We expect that most work will commence before the end of this month,” Morgan added.

Morgan said $500 million has been allocated for road improvements in Kingston and St. Andrew.

Corridors slated for rehabilitation include Mannings Hill Road, Washington Boulevard, Duhaney Drive, Perkins Boulevard, Red Hills Road, Slipe Road, Golden Spring to Stony Hill, Stony Hill to Manor Park, Weymouth Drive, Arcadia, Shortwood Road, Papine Square to Gordon Town, and John Golding Road.

“Almost every road… including a lot of parish council (municipal corporation) roads, will be repaired in Kingston and St. Andrew,”Morgan stated.

“For Clarendon, we will be spending $206 million to repair main corridors," he said.

Morgan listed some of the Clarendon roadways - Four Paths to Guinep Tree, Hazard Drive and Bustamante Highway; Whitney Turn, Four Paths to Freetown; the road leading to Porus, Salt River Road and Rastaman Corner… including Portland Cottage… May Pen to Chapelton, Colonel’s Ridge to Kellits, Spalding, Cave Valley, Pennants, Frankfield, Summerfield and Trout Hall.

Meanwhile, he advised that the Government has allocated $130 million to repair main corridors in St James, with an additional $100 million earmarked for works in Montpelier.

“The entire [Montego Bay] township will be repaired… Barnett Street, St. James Street, Howard Cooke Boulevard… and also Anchovy to Shettlewood and Reading to Anchovy will be repaired,” the Minister outlined.

In Trelawny, $107 million has been allocated for repairs to roadways in Salt Marsh, Bengal, Falmouth, Duncans, Long Pond, Wire Fence, Warsop, and Jackson Town.

Morgan noted that the Government has earmarked approximately $100 million for road repairs in Westmoreland.

Roadways slated for rehabilitation include those in Goodens, Glasgow, Bartlett’s River, Negril, Ferris Cross, Torrington, and Scott’s Cove.

Morgan emphasised that this allocation is “separate from the works we're doing now to repair roads that were washed out by Melissa”.

Morgan also disclosed that Cabinet has approved the development of a framework for the establishment the One Road Authority, a body to provide comprehensive oversight to the country's road. A fragmented oversight system now exists.

- JIS News contributed to this article

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