Barbican road improvement project to commence in two weeks
KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Work on theUS$4.4-million Barbican Road improvement project in St. Andrew is slated to commence in two weeks.
The four-month project, being implemented under the Administration’s Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP) with funding support from the Government of the People’s Republic of China, entails significant upgrading of 1.1 kilometres of the 3.75-kilometre Barbican Road.
This will involve major improvements along the stretch between the intersections at Jacks Hill Road and the roadway leading to Russell Heights, as well as East Kings House Road to the Barbican Centre, which will be widened to a four-lane carriageway.
It is expected that this will significantly alleviate the traffic congestion that has been a longstanding challenge in that area.
Other features will include conversion of the one-way sections of Barbican Road and the south-bound part of East Kings House Road by the Barbican Centre to two-way traffic; the installation of traffic signals at the Birdsucker Lane, East Kings House Road and Jacks Hill Road intersections; widening of the Bustamante Bridge (box culvert) at the intersection with Jacks Hill Road to accommodate four-lane traffic; construction of 1.5-metre-wide sidewalks and medians; installation of drainage pipe/culverts and LED lights; and new signs, road markings and pavement markers.
These engagements comprise the project’s second phase, following the completion of land acquisition and boundary wall construction activities.
The project is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, through the National Works Agency (NWA), and will be executed by China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC).
Complementing this will be a J$131-million water and sewerage infrastructure installation project that will be implemented simultaneously by the National Water Commission and executed by Surrey Paving and Aggregate Company Limited.
Contracts for the Barbican Road project were signed during a brief ceremony at Jamaica House on Wednesday, August 9.
