WORK resumed yesterday on segment three of the North Coast Highway following a one-day strike by more than 500 workers employed to the Danish construction Company, Pihl.

Construction of the highway was disrupted for most of Monday after the workers walked off the job in protest against late payment of their meal allowances.

Yesterday, Alden Brown, negotiator at the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), told the Observer that the workers returned to the job after management gave a date for the payment of the money.

He, however, declined to say what was the date given, instead saying that workers were satisfied with the arrangement and decided to return to work.

“Since a date has been given by management we will have to just wait on that date, but if there is failure to adhere to that date, then there will have to be some consequence for that,” said Brown.

The work stoppage is, however, not expected to affect the deadline for the project.

According to Stephen Shaw, communications and customer service manager at the National Works Agency, the project was on target for completion in June of next year.

The project, which spans 96 kilometres of roadway from Ocho Rios to Dover in St Mary, will see to the construction of culverts, bridges and a new road surface.

“Much of the work is now happening in St Mary in the White River and Oracabessa areas,” Shaw said. The work, he added, is divided into five sections with work now taking place in sections one to three.

But while motorists are looking forward to the new road, many are disgruntled with the inconvenience being suffered.

One motorist, Denny Morgan, said what was usually a 10-minute drive from Ocho Rios to Boscobel is now taking him close to half an hour. “In some sections you have to crawl through the muddy puddles of water and the dust is also a major problem,” he said.

Despite this, he is however looking forward to the completion of the project, pointing out that a proper road surface is needed along that strip along which a number of hotels and guest houses are located.

“Them better treat the workers right so that them don’t walk off the work and further delay the completion,” Morgan told the Observer.

Another motorist, who identified himself as Alvin, said the roadwork, which started last January, has been causing a traffic pile-up along the roadway at peak hours. However, he too said the improved road would be a benefit for motorists. “It also offers employment for a number of people around the area, so anything to do with progress we are in for it,” he said.

– Ingrid Brown