BY HORACE HINES OBSERVER WEST REPORTER
ROSE HALL, St James -
Inadequate road signs and improper lighting along Segment 2A of the North Coast Highway, which runs from Greenside in Trelawny to the Sangster International Airport, have raised safety concerns in several quarters of this resort.
"As a community we are pleased with the opening of segment 2 of the Northcoast Highway, which has held significantly in reducing the horrendous traffic challenges that we have been facing in the airport to Rose Hall area. Of grave concern though, is the absence of any form of lighting for this area of the roadways. While we understand and appreciate the efforts to open the roads, the blatant absence of signage and lighting is a potential safety hazard for users of the roads," said President of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), Pauline Reid.
Both lanes of the US$50.2 million roadway were opened last week to a grateful public that had grown weary of burdensome traffic snarls which could occasion delays of up to five hours.
However, several motorists are now complaining of near misses and minor accidents in the area, especially at nights.
"Without the road markings or reflectors separating the lanes it is difficult to use the roads, sometimes I can’t even tell which side of the road I’m on," one motorist lamented.
The gravamen of the motorists fear is that the lack of signs and lighting along the roadway could replicate the road carnage experienced along the Llandovery, main road in St Ann which was opened in 2005. Since then, nearly 30 road causalities have been recorded on that stretchof road which is poorly lighted and suffers from the shortage of signage. Last year alone, 17 persons died from injuries they sustained as a result of motor vehicle accidents along that roadway.
However their fears should be allveiated soon if the word of Manager of the Communication and Customer Services Department at the National Works Agency (NWA), Stephen Shaw, is anything to go by.
While not providing a specific time frame, Shaw explained that “work is expected to be completed by early next year”.
