Long Hill road in St James to be repaired

The Long Hill main road is to be repaired after repeated spats over repairs to the road between the St James Municipal Corporation and the National Works Agency (NWA).

The corporation had criticised the NWA for its failure to commence the road repairs, noting that the infrastructure was becoming dangerous for motorists and pedestrians. It maintains that repairs to the road is the remit of the NWA because the roadworks constitute an emergency.

Speaking at Thursday's monthly meeting of the corporation, Montego Bay Mayor Homer Davis revealed that the a sum of $1.5 million has been allocated from the corporation's emergency funds to start work immediately on the roadway, which is bordered by a deep gorge.

Davis said that after seeing the situation and the dangers it poses, he demanded that the corporation's secretary/manager and superintendent of roads and works make the funds available for the road to be repaired.

"I am at a loss to say that, as one of the busiest roads that connects the south coast with Montego Bay, it is allowed to remain that way when the NWA should be making the necessary repairs, because it is an emergency," said Davis.

"I don't want to think of the end result if a motorist goes over the precipice," said Davis. "I came down on it a couple days ago and it was frightening. We have tourists coming here for the Christmas season and, not realising the treacherousness of the thoroughfare, they may very well go back as cargo."

According to Davis, the money will be used to not only start the repaving of the road, but also fund remedial work on the retaining wall, as well as repair cavities under the roadway.

The mayor was adamant that the necessary signage must also be erected to warn unsuspecting motorists of the ongoing work on the roadway, which has had numerous crashes, resulting in injuries and deaths.