The National Works Agency (NWA), will shortly commence a 500 million dollar repair programme in the Fern Gully, St. Ann. The project will be a continuation of the Agency’s effort at mitigating flooding in the town of Ocho Rios and reduce the impact of floodwaters on the road surface.
Manager for Communication and Customer Services at the NWA, Stephen Shaw says that the work to be undertaken will be done in two phases. Phase one will involve the construction of a rigid pavement (concrete road) along a stretch of 1.6 kilometers, between the entrance to the gully and Hinds Gully.
Phase two of the project, will see major drainage improvement work being undertaken. Plans are to construct a concrete “U” drain along with five box culverts along a 1.4 kilometer stretch from Harrison Town to Milford Road.
Mr. Shaw says that preliminary work is now underway and that the agency is now moving to have several Jamaica Public Service (JPSCo) poles and waterlines relocated, before the activities are ramped up.
Phases two and three works will complement work, which was completed in 2010, when approximately six kilometers of roadway from Colgate to Hinds Gully was repaved and drains reopened.
Mr. Shaw says phases two and three of the Fern Gully work will be undertaken simultaneously and form part of the multi-billion dollar Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP), now being implemented island-wide.
