Dear Editor,

Since my birth decades ago, I have been travelling on some of the most deplorable roadways in Jamaica. I am consistently forced to memorise the potholes and craters on almost every stretch that I traverse, and I have to skilfully hopscotch to save lives and expenses. Therefore, you can well imagine my relief when the Government announced that $2 billion has been allocated for emergency road repairs.

However, I fear that most roads will only be patched, not excavated and resurfaced with durable, high-quality materials. In the past, several roads were spottily asphalted, only to be riddled with potholes days after heavy and sustained rainfall. Dyke Road and Spanish Town Road are two prominent examples. I frequent these routes and would have witnessed the repair efforts and the rapid surface decline thereafter.

For the long term, the Government is considering constructing concrete roads in low-traffic areas, but this is ill-advised. With our unstable weather pattern, often resulting in prolonged dry seasons annually, concrete may not be the best road material. It is prone to rapid moisture loss, thermal stress cracks, and flaking. If inadequately cured, the concrete may develop powdery dust. Admittedly, some of these potential issues may be mitigated or averted through the use of surface protection, admixtures, and proper curing techniques, but no measure is foolproof.

I am not an engineering expert, but it would be more prudent to use materials that are naturally compatible with our climate. My online reading has indicated that stone mastic asphalt and polymer-modified asphalt are better suited for Jamaica’s roads as they are resistant to rutting and cracking, usually caused by heat and heavy vehicles. Stone mastic asphalt, in particular, has a coarse texture, thus providing sufficient traction for vehicles, even when the road is wet.

In addition to using high-quality materials, those responsible for road repairs should endeavour to improve our drainage systems. Some road surfaces are repeatedly damaged by prolonged water settlement due to clogged drains. I have seen this first-hand on the roadways in Old Harbour, for example. In a matter of days, a neighbouring stretch deteriorated because it was inundated with water and the drain was (and still is) blocked.

If we do not invest in enduring materials and robust drainage systems, we risk wasting billions on annual roadworks. Let us spare our motorists the frustration of recurring vehicular damage and costly repairs by implementing more long-term road solutions. Quality roads represent one of the most basic infrastructures that all governments should provide for their citizens. A radical road overhaul is needed, not a Band-Aid, emergency fix.

Shawna Kay Williams-Pinnock

Shawna201@gmail.com