LUCEA, Hanover — The National Works Agency (NWA) has revealed that while concrete paving of the heavily trafficked Seaview Drive in the coastal town of Lucea remains on the table, a bypass road is the ultimate solution to the problem.

“The long-term [goal] right now is to build a bypass to the town of Lucea; that is the intention. But at Seaview [Drive], we are looking to put a bit of concrete road in that space. Because the road is pretty close to the sea and you have a combination of tidal waves on the one hand, and then you have a situation where the drain and the road act pretty much like a basin that collects water. Those two things are not good for that area,” manager, communication and customer services at the NWA Stephen Shaw said Thursday.

He was responding to queries, from the Jamaica Observer, about long-term plans for the problematic roadway, which is susceptible to water damage from the sea and has been repaired several times over the years. Apart from minor works, major repairs were carried out by the NWA in 2023.

A bypass road for the town of Lucea was first mentioned by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness nearly a decade ago.

While they wait for that project, road users struggle to navigate the pothole-riddled Seaview Drive which has resulted in severe daily traffic jams.

Vehicles navigating deep, flooded potholes on the Seaview Drive main road in Lucea on Wednesday. Anthony Lewis

On Wednesday, the
Observer reported that while the NWA had started drain- cleaning and patching works the night before, stakeholders were calling for a permanent fix. The NWA had indicated, last September, that there were plans to make a significant shift from asphalt road surfacing to concrete pavement on the roadway.

On Thursday, Shaw noted that concrete paving will have to be planned in a way that minimises the impact on the motoring public which uses the heavily travelled road.

“Concrete is something that [when] you pour it, you cannot drive on it at the same time. With asphaltic concrete, you can drive on it immediately. With Portland-type cement concrete, you have to allow a curing period,” explained Shaw.

He did not provide a date for the concrete paving to be done but gave an assurance that the public will be provided with ample time to make preparations.

“When that time comes, we are going to make sure that the public is apprised well ahead of time, so whatever changes, [and] modifications are necessary, they can deal with it,” stated Shaw.