The National Works Agency has taken action against contractors for Segment Three of the North-coast Highway, E.Pihl and Sons for its failure to maintain the existing roadway in an acceptable condition.
Under the contract for the construction of the roadway, Pihl is expected to maintain the 96 kilometer stretch from Ochio Rios to Port Antonio. The company has however been tardy in doing so.
Communications Manager at the NWA, Stephen Shaw says the agency has with-held payment to the company, while giving them an ultimatum to improve their service of ongoing maintenance of the existing roadway.
Mr. Shaw says the contract for the construction of the roadway, allows for the NWA to with-hold sums for traffic management and engage the services of another company, if required.
He says the NWA continues to impress upon the contractor, the importance of maintaining the existing roadway in a satisfactory condition. In the meantime, Mr. Shaw says work is slated to resume next week on the Port Antonio to Hectors River main road. The road section forms part of the 1.2 billion dollars National Road Services Improvement Programme, which has been implemented in the parishes of Portland, St. Thomas, St. Catherine, Manchester and Westmoreland.
The NWA Communication and Customer Services Manager says the work to be done on the Port Antonio to Hectors River main road include the patching of potholes and the rehabilitation of sections that are badly eroded.
Mr. Shaw says other areas in Portland are also slated for attention. These include the roadway from Fellowship to Berridale, Riverview to Windsor and East Palm Avenue in Port Antonio.
