Contracts valued at just under 30 million dollars are now being executed in three parishes by the National Works Agency (NWA) to construct retaining walls along critical corridors in three communities. The contracts are being executed in the parishes of St. Catherine, St. Andrew and Portland.
In St. Catherine, work is now underway in the community of Centre Cut, which is located along the road from Williamsfield to Glengoffe. In St. Andrew, the NWA is constructing a Gabion Wall in Lawrence Tavern, while a similar structure is being built at Riverview in the Rio Grande Valley of Portland.
According to Manager of Communication and Customer Services at the NWA, Stephen Shaw these works which are expected last for another four months, are part and parcel of the Agency’s New Works Programme geared towards 2007 disaster repairs and mitigation.
Mr. Shaw explains that a section of the retaining wall at Centre Cut was undermined by heavy rains associated with Hurricane Dean in August of last year. A section of the roadway in Lawrence Tavern also broke away during the passage of the hurricane. Work in these two areas is being undertaken through a contract valued at 17.02 million dollars.
Mr. Shaw says the roadway at Riverview, which is located along the corridor from Breastworks to Windsor had been severely exposed following the passage of Hurricane Dean. The Rio Grande, which hugs a section of the roadway has also been undermining the corridor. Approximately 520 cubic meters of Gabion Retianing Wall is being built at this location through a contract valued at 9.33 million dollars.
