The National Works Agency (NWA) is advising that two sets of traffic signals are now out of commission due to vandals. Traffic signals located at the Flat Bridge in the Bog Walk Gorge, St. Catherine and that located at the intersection of Duke Street and East Queen Street, Kingston are out of service.
Manager, Communication and Customer Services at the NWA, Stephen Shaw says that critical components for the functioning of the traffic signals have been burnt. In the case of the signals in the Bog Walk Gorge the technical team has had to respond to several incidents of vandalism over the last six months.
Mr. Shaw says that vandals had been cutting the cables and that this occurrence had forced the NWA to place a protective barrier around this critical component of the lighting system. The vandals have now turned to the control box, where the cover was removed and the components destroyed.
The traffic signals at the Duke Street/East Queen Street intersection were rendered inoperable as the cables were burnt and damage done to the Mast Arm on which the lights are placed.
Mr. Shaw says damage to both signals in the Bog Walk Gorge and at the Duke Street/East Queen Street intersection has been estimated at over one point six million dollars. Motorists are being advised to exercise extreme caution in using the corridors, at both locations, at this time.
In the meantime, caution is also being urged in using the intersections of Woodglen Avenue/Hagley Park Road and Woodglen/Molynes Road. The traffic signals at both locations are out, due to power issues. High voltage is impacting the signals. This has been reported to the Jamaica Public Services Company (JPSCo.)
