Users of the Portmore Leg of Highway 2000 will have to bear the headache of narrow lanes and occasional congestion for a few more months as repair work is expected to extend into the New Year. Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry told the Post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday that work is expected to continue into January and February of next year. Mr. Henry said suggestions were made to have the workmen work at nights, but the operators of the toll, Bouyges Road Construction Company had security concerns. Meanwhile, Mr. Henry said he is also concerned about the road being repaired less than five years after it was built. “If you drive along the Toll Road and you get to near the Old Harbour exits by the Fersan factory, I am concerned about the bumps that you see there and that may be again because of how you have compacted the road but nothing as major as the ones being done here because you are really driving on reclaimed land,” “I am not expecting any real major ones though we are looking more indepth at that but remember that all of that repair is at the cost of the builder and not at the taxpayer, that doesn’t mean I should not have the concern,” Mr. Henry said. In the meantime, work on the Mount Rosser Leg of the Highway has again hit a snag. Mr. Henry said urgent meetings are being held to iron out issues. He said several concerns have arisen including geographical problems, design challenges as well as lack of funds to complete the project. “Research has shown that there was even a recommendation about the improbability of building the road along that alignment and the contract and work was stared without the geotechnical studies being completed. We are now asking for local people from the University and others with expertise and we have brought down some further senior persons. That impacts that we don’t have any financing left to connect Spanish Town to Mount Rosseau,” he said. US$124 million has already been spent on the road.
-------------------------
|
