ST JAMES, Jamaica – The planned J$14-million works on a section of the Howard Cooke Boulevard in Montego Bay, St James, will get under way this Saturday.

The National Works Agency (NWA) had announced two weeks ago that the activities were to start on April 11, however, there were logistical issues that resulted in a delay of the project’s schedule.

The Howard Cooke Boulevard is a dual carriageway which is heavily used by commuters entering and exiting the busy city centre of Montego Bay. A section of this roadway, in the vicinity of the St James Police headquarters, sunk, creating a major depression which extends across the breadth of the roadway.

In order to facilitate the necessary repair work, the NWA will be employing a traffic management plan, which involves the periodic closure of sections of the corridor over the next three months of the contractual period.

Community Relations Officer for the NWA’s Western Region, Janel Ricketts, says that on Saturday, the eastbound lane of the dual carriageway will be closed to vehicular traffic.

This section of the roadway will remain closed for the duration of the weekend, as well as on weekdays.

She says, however, that the closure will be in effect between the hours of 9:00 am and 3:00 pm on weekdays, in an effort to minimise the impact on the travelling public during peak hours.

“During the period of closure, traffic will be diverted to the westbound lane of the carriageway,” Ricketts said.

The repair effort involves the excavation of the road surface and filling of the area with base material.

Additionally, the project entails the asphalting of the affected section, the construction of drainage features and the repair of the concrete median and sidewalks.

The project is being funded by the

Tourism Enhancement Fund.

Mark Cummings