PORT MARIA, St Mary — With residents’ frustration mounting over the slow pace of repairs to Cox Street Bridge, Member of Parliament for Central St Mary Omar Newell is urging patience.

The bridge was damaged by persistent rainfall in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Raphael in 2024, but Newell says it is among those which will be repaired under the Government’s Accelerated Bridge Programme (ABP).

“Some residents have indicated to me that they were going to block the road as they need the attention for the bridge to be fixed… I am asking residents to be patient,” said Newell.

He was responding to concerns raised during a recent Port Maria Town Hall meeting hosted by the St Mary Municipal Corporation.

“Not having the use of the bridge has hampered the fire trucks or [access by] persons who are sick and want to reach the hospital. They have to drive through Cox Street where there are potholes as big as craters. This has also contributed to the traffic build up in the town,” said one irritated elderly woman.

In response, Newell told residents of affected communities including Albion Mountain that he has been given the assurance and commitment from minister with responsibility for works Robert Morgan that the Cox Street Bridge is one of 40 to be addressed under the ABP.

That programme is expected to improve connectivity, enhance disaster resilience, and support safer and more reliable transportation networks across Jamaica.

Mayor of Port Maria Fitzroy Wilson, who was also at the town hall meeting, empathised with frustrated commuters who have to navigate pothole-riddled Cox Street. He assured residents that funds have been allocated to do remedial work there.

On November 28, 2024, the National Works Agency closed the Cox Street Bridge “with immediate effect” as structural damage had made it unsafe for motorists and indicated that it was doing the necessary damage assessment “with a view to having the situation remedied in short order”.

— Ingrid Henry

NEWELL… some residents have indicated to me that they were going to block the road .