National Works Agency (NWA) contractors are now working around the clock to restore vehicular access along the Noland to Border main road at Mount Ogle, St. Andrew by September 12.
The area became impassable due to a massive breakaway following the heavy rains in May earlier this year. The NWA commenced emergency works to restore the roadway in July under a twenty-six million dollar contract.
According to Communication and Customer Service Manager at the NWA, Stephen Shaw, brisk work continues on completing two retaining walls needed to recreate an embankment to allow for safe passage along the affected section of the roadway.
He says work which now goes on night and day is severely hampered by daily afternoon rainfall and the sandy soil type of the area. The NWA however, hopes to have a significant section of the embankment for the road recreated before the end of next week. This will then facilitate the reopening of the road to single lane traffic, as the construction activities will continue, until the end of the month.
While work continues apace to effect repairs, the NWA has approached land owners close to the work site to facilitate pedestrian traffic through their properties between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. daily. The Agency is trying to prevent the use of the affected area, especially by children in light of the impending start of the new school year.
A team from the NWA, officers of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) and Member Parliament for West Rural St. Andrew, Juliet Cuthbert Flynn today toured the project site. The new timelines came out of a subsequent meeting with the key stakeholders.
