Motorists who use the Constant Spring Road and Dunrobin Avenue corridors to get into Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew, received a pleasant surprise yesterday morning as the widely anticipated traffic snarl did not materialise.

Major work on Constant Spring Road in recent months has made the area near its intersection with Dunrobin Avenue difficult to negotiate during peak hours, and with the reopening of several schools yesterday, many drivers told the Jamaica Observer that they had braced for the worst.

“I left my home in Duhaney Park one hour earlier because I expected that by seven o’clock the road would be one big parking lot,” said Millicent Wilson as she waited at the traffic light at the intersection.

“But I was so glad that the traffic that was there was moving constantly. Now I will get to work extra early,” added Wilson.

When our news team arrived at the intersection shortly after 6:00 am, uniformed members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force were seen in strategic positions ensuring that the traffic flowed.

This was good news for some motorists who urged the cops to be there every morning.

“I not celebrating yet because some schools don’t open yet, some taxi man nah work today, and the police them out here. It is all like Wednesday when the police not here and you see some man driving on even the sidewalk — that will be the test,” said the driver of a silver Honda Accord who gave his name only as Ben.

“I drive here every morning and evening and I have lived with the chaos since this roadwork start, so come back and ask me next week and I can give you a proper review,” added Ben as he admitted that the early signs were promising.

A similar assessment was made by Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang who toured some of the areas where the roadwork is under way.

“I think some urgent work was done over the last weekend by the NWA (National Works Agency). Unfortunately they waited until the last weekend, but it is helping,” said Chang.

“Up to this point Manor Park is running very smoothly, even though you could find more traffic later in the morning. With the opening of the two sides of the road in Manor Park it has become easier,” added Chang.

He noted that the recent work on Constant Spring Road, in the vicinity Merle Grove High School, helped to reduce the usual traffic pile-up in the area.

“It was not too bad for the beginning and we expect the new traffic team, assigned by the police commissioner, will also make a difference,” said Chang.