MONTEGO BAY, St James — Worried that a section of the Long Hill road that was damaged by Hurricane Melissa could worsen during the current rainy season and create havoc on the roads, divisional commander for St James, Senior Superintendent Eron Samuels is urging repairs.

“That one is definitely one that we have to watch. As it stands now, if we have a good shower of rain, continuous rain, we may end up having only one-way traffic along that road,” he told Thursday’s regular monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation.

“It’s indeed a cause for concern,” he stressed.

Samuels said the problem emerged after last October’s Category 5 hurricane.

“There is a section of the roadway that we recognise that the land below had started to move. With the recent rains, based on what we saw, I think there is a breakaway on the Long Hill stretch coming down, which poses a significant safety hazard,” he advised.

For long stretches, the narrow, heavily trafficked Long Hill road has a steep drop on one side and is prone to hellish traffic snarls. Samuels is worried about the impact any further restrictions could have on commuters as they make their way in and out of southern sections of the parish.

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“This is an issue that we have found that will severely impact our traffic situation and will impact the Long Hill space,” he cautioned.

During Thursday’s meeting the senior cop also raised the issue of the safety of individuals working on projects near busy roadways. His comments come in the wake of two recent incidents on the Rose Hall main road.

“We’re seeing where we had two fatal accidents in recent times along the Elegant Corridor, so we are asking persons who are doing these sorts of roadworks to please pay keen attention to safety, and also road users to pay attention to signs and all the persons giving instructions as it relates to work being done along the corridor,” he appealed.

On June 1, 22-year-old Bianca Wallace, said to be employed to a project being done in the area, died after she was hit by a motor vehicle. Several schoolchildren were injured during the crash.

“As we try to improve the road conditions and the infrastructure work, this will definitely impact how we traverse so we are asking persons to really take their time as they traverse the roadways,” Samuels said.

In response, mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon assured that the St James Municipal Corporation will reach out to the relevant entities to have the police chief’s concerns addressed.

“I am going to ask the chief executive officer to write to the National Works Agency pertaining to the Long Hill situation, and we will take it from there,” he said.

Vernon said there will also be similar action regarding the issues on the Rose Hall main road.