LUCEA, Hanover – RESIDENTS of Bigwell Lane in Lucea, Hanover, are breathing a sigh of relief after receiving much needed infrastructure work in their community.

The Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) is spending a little over $1million on the construction of drains and the resurfacing of the roadway that runs through the community. Another $600,000 has been identified by the Water and Housing Ministry for the construction of a sewage system for the housing scheme.

Councillor of the Lucea division, Neville Clare, said the project is progressing satisfactorily.

“The project is going on well. We are on target and on budget,” he told the Jamaica Observer West.

For years the residents have had to contend with an old malfunctioning sewage system and poor road conditions. They claim that the bad roads have resulted from the implementation of a one-way system in the town of Lucea almost four years ago, which they say has given rise to a marked increase in traffic through their community.

Recently, Deputy Superintendent in charge of the Hanover Fire Department Paul Hibbert, in a report to the Hanover Parish Council, expressed concern about the state of roads in Bigwell Lane.

“Access to Bigwell Lane is of concern for emergency response. Currently, should there be an emergency which necessitates the response of the brigade, the unit will not be able to go into the area quickly, thus hampering the effectiveness of the brigade,” he told the meeting.

Meanwhile, Clare said construction of a new sewage system is to begin next week.

” The work is expected to last for two months and the plant will be maintained by the Hanover Parish Council,” he said.