DEESIDE, Trelawny – Following last month’s long-awaited start of a $200-million rehabilitation project on the Wakefield to Deeside leg of the pothole-riddled 14-mile corridor stretching from Falmouth to Spring Vale in Trelawny, motorists are expected to see further improvements to the thoroughfare next year.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Trelawny Northern Tova Hamilton had initially lobbied for the repairs of the entire corridor, but after discovering that the project would cost over $800 million, which, she said, was unavailable, the first-time MP settled for undertaking the upgrading on a phased basis.

Speaking in Deeside at the ground-breaking ceremony for the first phase of the upgrade recently, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Everald Warmington announced that during the next financial year the second phase of the project, between Martha Brae and Bounty Hall, will get underway.

“We intend to begin phase two early in the next financial year and phase two will be from Martha Brae to Bounty Hall. And I have asked the NWA [National Works Agency] to scope for another $200 million to do phase two,” Warmington announced.

“I can’t say we are going to do the entire $800-million plus on this road, but we are working with the Member of Parliament, the National Works Agency, and all the different agencies to see how best we can relieve the suffering and inconvenience caused to the people here,” he added.

“I am indeed happy to be here today [Thursday] in support of the Member of Parliament to break ground for the project, Falmouth to Springvale. We are now doing the section which is Wakefield to Deeside.”

The Wakefield to Deeside roadway, which has been a source of discontent for many years, has resulted in several protest actions by residents and motorists in recent times.

The project to rehabilitate the four-kilometre stretch is being implemented by the NWA, under its Maintenance of Secondary Roads Programme.

It involves drainage and base improvements, resurfacing of the roadway, sidewalk construction, and installation of a pedestrian crossing and road markings.

Hamilton underscored that nearly two years ago, when she became a Member of Parliament, she inherited a poor road network across the constituency.

“We have a road problem. What I inherited in 2020, this [Wakefield to Deeside] particular road has been of notoriety to date. And I believe that with the start of this road we are going to be renewing hope in the people for lots of other works to come,” she said.

“I am expecting, and it is also renewing trust in the political directorate. Because I think over the years we have eroded trust in the people.”

She listed some of the road projects that have been undertaken since she assumed the helm of the constituency.

“Because we have a road problem, I have, for the last two years, been focusing on a lot of road projects. We have done quite a few rehabilitation works to areas like Geradeau, Bounty Hall, Wakefield, Kettering, Daniel Town, Granville, Duanvale, Parnassus, Perth Town, Martha Brae, Georgia, Samuel Prospect, Duncans, to name a few, and it is something that I will continue,” she stressed.