DROMILY, Trelawny — The National Works Agency (NWA) has undertaken much-needed repairs to sections of the Dromily main road in Trelawny, which has been in a state of disrepair for more than 40 years.

The roadway, prior to the start of the project, was heavily pitted and had an uneven road surface, which provided for an uncomfortable travelling experience for road users.

Roughly 700 metres of the roadway is being targeted for repairs under a $17-million project, which starts in the vicinity of the bridge near the Dromily Community Centre.

Work is expected to be completed by the next two weeks.

“To date, the drain cleaning component of the project is now complete. The road surface has been reshaped and primed in preparation for the asphalting of the roadway. Additionally, the contractor is now engaged in works to construct the concrete ‘V’ drain along a section of the roadway. This drain is expected to mitigate flooding of the roadway and the resultant scouring of the road surface,” Janel Ricketts, NWA’s community relations officer for the western region, told the Jamaica Observer.

Dromily resident Beverly Stewart is among those who are welcoming the repairs to the roadway.

“We needed the road because for about 40 years nothing has been done here. The road was really bad. It is a beautiful thing that is happening here now, we really appreciate it in the community,” she said.

Councillor Jonathan Bartley (Jamaica Labour Party, Wakefield Division) is equally elated.

“It is like heaven came down and glory filled my soul. The residents in the community have been left out and have felt ignored. I feel good to know that my years of pleading have not gone in vain and that residents will now have a better road,” said Bartley.

“This road was very bad and residents have been complaining for a long time now. I am so happy for the residents, who, with the work that is being done now, finally feel that somebody cares for them. I look forward to seeing the other developments that are coming for the Wakefield Division, because more works are now in the pipeline and as such more residents will benefit from better roads.”

The Dromily project is one of three projects that are currently being undertaken in the parish through the NWA’s Maintenance of Secondary Roads Programme.

Work is also underway on sections of the Salt Marsh to Kent and the Rio Bueno to Jackson roadways under the programme.