KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Works Agency (NWA) says the Sir John Golding Road in St Andrew which was closed following extensive flood damage in 2017, has been reopened.

The roadway, which was reopened today, runs parallel to the UWI Mona campus and links the community of August Town to Papine.

The NWA said its initial plan was to reinstate the failed section of the roadway as an emergency project, but the plans had to be re-scoped to adequately address the full extent of the infrastructural damage.

The agency said additional funding had to be identified to finance the new scope of the repairs and the project had to be subsequently approved by Cabinet and then tendered.

The NWA said progress on the project has also been affected by a number of adverse weather events over the period.

The agency said the upgrades to the roadway include the construction of a gabion retaining wall, the re-engineering and replacement of existing drainage facilities, the installation of safety features such as guardrails, and the reinstatement of the road surface.

The project was completed at a cost of $84 million.

During the road closure motorists had to use alternative routes to access August Town and surrounding communities, but the agency said the roadway is now open and safe to use by all motorists.