KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Works Agency (NWA) says works to complete a retaining wall structure at the site of a breakaway along the Trinityville to Cedar Valley roadway in St Thomas has started.

According to NWA communication and customer services manager, Stephen Shaw, the activities should be sufficiently completed by mid-December which will allow motor vehicles to safely access the area once again.

The wall construction works, he explained, was already included in the programme of works being implemented under the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP).

He noted that the affected area is perennially waterlogged. The agency said the works involve properly collecting and channelling water from a number of underground sources to a tributary of the Yallahs River to minimise the impact on the roadway. It noted that forty-five meters of mass concrete masonry retaining wall as well as a dewatering well is being built at the location. Revetment protection works will also be done, the agency added.

Noting that while pedestrian traffic is being accommodated along an area adjacent to the site, the NWA said the option of using the alternate route via Yallahs to Llandewey through to Windsor Forest is available for motorists travelling beyond the point of the breakaway.

Additionally, the agency said similar complex wall construction works are also taking place at a second location in Cedar Valley and at New Monkland along the 12 kilometre-long Georgia to Cedar Valley leg of the SCHIP project.