FALMOUTH, Trelawny —Plans are well advanced for the implementation of two major infrastructural projects aimed at improving traffic flow in Falmouth, the parish capital, and surrounding areas, which are frequently plagued by heavy congestion.

Speaking to reporters during a tour on Friday with minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with responsibility for works, Robert Morgan, Trelawny Northern Member of Parliament Tova Hamilton revealed plans for the installation of traffic lights and repairs to Rock Bridge.

There have been stridents calls, including from the police, for the installation of traffic signals at strategic points in the parish to monitor the flow of traffic.

“In terms of the traffic lights at the Martha Brae overpass, it is something being contemplated as well. We have already made submissions to the NWA [National Works Agency] in relation to that, as well as other areas. For example, Coral Spring [in the vicinity of] H-10 [Hotel], that has been approved already so that is now in procurement, so we’re taking it one step at a time. So, we’re having some responses there,” Hamilton disclosed.

The Rock Bridge, which played a vital role in easing traffic out of Falmouth, has been closed since February 2019 due to structural damage. NWA made the decision to close the bridge for the safety of motorists after inspections revealed key components were worn and the bridge was compromised.

Trelawny Northern MP Tova Hamilton makes a point to Works Minister Robert Morgan (left) and Robert Francis, regional manager (Western Region), NWA, during a tour of the Wakefield to Friendship main road on Friday.

Hamilton noted that the bridge is among 55 across Jamaica that Minister Morgan told Parliament will be upgraded at a cost of US$100 million, through a partnership with the United Kingdom.

“The minister spoke about bridges some weeks ago and I am happy to say that the Rock Bridge has been one of the bridges named in that project so it is really just a matter of time when that will take place — but it has been incorporated,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton and Morgan, along with members of the NWA, participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the newly rehabilitated six-kilometre stretch of road from Holland to Bounty Hall — a $149-million road improvement project.

It forms the second phase of the three-segment, 20-km, Falmouth to Springvale Road Rehabilitation Project which is being spearheaded by the NWA.

Hamilton appealed to motorists for patience regarding the start of execution of the third phase of the project, which is scheduled to be a part of the second phase of the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) Programme, which Morgan explained is going to start close to the end of this financial year, probably in December.

“It was already scoped for SPARK, so we’re really waiting on the SPARK to happen, but in the interim I’m trying to see if I can eke out a little resources to do some maintenance,” Hamilton said.

“We’re just appealing, though, for patience because Trelawny Northern has almost zero roads so we’re kind of starting from scratch to build a constituency. I keep telling people, ‘We’re on our road to recovery so we’re covering the space — and we’re doing it inch by inch,” she added.

Morgan also sought to assure motorists using the corridor.

“We are doing community roads in this constituency but the people can be assured that the main road component of SPARK is going to begin later on this year. And, they would be very happy that this road, phase three, is a part of that initiative,” Morgan said.

He explained that Trelawny Northern, “has the distinction of having the highest road density in Jamaica”.

“It’s over 700 kilometres of roads; it is then no surprise that the Government will take a special interest in the roads here. For many years the roads in this constituency have been neglected, and we want to thank the Member of Parliament for her very strong, consistent, continuous, and aggressive advocacy in getting the roads, or some of the roads in this constituency,” he said.

The touring party took Morgan on a first-hand visit to several sections of roadway in critical need of rehabilitation within the community. These included the Wakefield to Friendship route, the Duanvale section of the Martha Brae to Kinloss corridor, and the stretch from Duncans to Long Pond in Clarks Town.