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Hanover to get $34-million road improvement

Published:Thursday | February 8, 2018 | 12:00 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Residents of Smithfield, Cascade, and Flint River in eastern Hanover should soon have a much easier time traversing the roads in their communities, thanks to the approval of a $34-million road improvement project which is poised to commence shortly.

According to Dave Brown, member of parliament for Eastern Hanover, the project involves the complete rehabilitation of approximately 1.3 kilometres of roadway in the Smithfield community, to include the bushing of verges and trimming of overhanging trees; drain cleaning; the improvement of the drainage infrastructure; and putting in place an asphaltic concrete overlay.

Earlier this week, Brown made an urgent plea to the residents of the communities to cooperate with the project implementation team to ensure that issues or disagreements are settled amicably and not allowed to escalate in a way that could undermine the project.

In speaking to the impact it will have on the communities, Brown said the expected ease of travel when the work is completed and the fact that some persons from the area will be able to secure employment while the project is being implemented are all positive signs.

Checks with the National Works Agency (NWA) revealed that the project forms part of the second phase of the Major Infrastructure Development Programme, which is expected to impact several communities in the western part of the island.

This upcoming phase of the programme will target 11 roadways across the region. It will feature roads such as Vernon's Drive in St James and the Comfort Hall to Wire Fence corridor in southern Trelawny.

The Smithfield project will be undertaken by a contractor from Trelawny under a subcontract with China Harbour Engineering Company. The NWA will act as the supervising body.

The project, which Brown is anxious to see get underway, is scheduled to be completed within three months of the day of commencement.