WITH frustration mounting over the appalling state of Spanish Town Road, the Government has instructed the National Works Agency (NWA) to carry out remedial work on the rugged surface between now and January.

But the Administration is acknowledging that the work will provide only temporary relief, as a total and proper repair of the heavily used thoroughfare will require a very intense capital project estimated to cost US$60 million.

According to Robert Morgan, the minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with the responsibility for works, the short-term work on Spanish Town Road is being undertaken as the Government seeks to embark on a larger project, which is not a simple quick fix and involves more than just repairing the road surface.

“The Spanish Town Road issue is not just a road issue per se, it’s a sewer issue and it’s a drainage issue as well,” Morgan explained at last week’s Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange, adding that it is also going to require a more collaborative approach with the National Water Commission (NWC) and other stakeholders.

Word of the temporary repairs is, however, no comfort to some motorists who traverse the route almost daily.

One motorist, whose workplace is along that road, said the temporary work is short-sighted and won’t address the underlying issues.

“The uneven road surface is a major cause for concern, not just the gigantic craters. Also, given the extent of the work that needs to be done, how long is it going to last? It is a road that is heavily travelled by trucks and smaller motor vehicles alike, so if this road cannot be priority treatment, then which ones will?” the annoyed motorist asked in an interview with the Sunday Observer.

Another motorist who uses the road every day as a short route to get to work contended that the infrastructure needs a complete overhaul.

“I’ve lost count of the potholes that have now turned into craters and ditches, especially in the lane heading into [downtown] Kingston. A permanent, not temporary fix is needed for that road. Driving on Spanish Town Road is like trying to navigate an obstacle course — what were three lanes originally, are now in reality one lane,” said the motorist, who opted not to be named.

“The road has been deteriorating since the pipelines were laid a few years ago, because it was never properly fixed after that. When you enter Spanish Town Road, from Ferry up to the intersection of Weymouth Drive is the worst. The left lane is virtually a stretch of ditches, which forces motorists to continuously zig and zag in and out of that lane and the middle lane in order to avoid the holes,” the motorist argued.

The pipelines he referenced were laid under a $2.4-billion potable water transmission main project which began in November 2020 and was completed in July 2022. It involved the replacement of aged transmission mains that had become susceptible to breaks, negatively affecting the reliability of water supply to businesses and communities along the near 12-mile stretch.

On completion of the project, Prime Minister Andrew Holness had said that the Government decided to undertake the investment given that it has the capability to bring approximately 15 million gallons of water into Kingston and St Andrew.

The construction phase frustrated motorists and residents alike, given the impact on traffic flow and water lock-offs. But now, with the water issue basically resolved, the NWC has been blamed for the current deplorable state of the road.

During last week’s Monday Exchange Morgan said that the Government has been trying to fix the issues along the thoroughfare and has done some work on the section closer to Six Miles.

“There was some work that was done, but it is just a drop in the bucket; it requires much more,” he said, adding that the Government is pondering whether to place the project under the Shared Prosperity Through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) programme, or treat it separately.

“It’s not just the NWA, it is about the National Water Commission, it is about what are the plans for the new sewer system,” he said.

Motorists avoid this large pothole on Spanish Town Road in the Corporate Area on Saturday morning. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with the responsibility for works Robert Morgan gestures while speaking at last week’s Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)