Gayle residents concerned about damaged roadway
Published:Friday | March 11, 2022 | 12:06 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
RESIDENTS LIVING and traversing along the Gayle main road in St Mary have expressed concern that a segment of the roadway that has sunken and continues to break away may never be repaired.
According to one resident, what began as a cluster of small potholes along the side of the roadway in 2020 has evolved into a disaster zone with a breakaway that has compromised the entire left lane.
He said that nearby clogged drains have also contributed to its eventual collapse and, as such, homeowners have been keeping the drainage systems clean.
“Me a hope it nuh happen so we really a try to keep this clean so the water can able to follow through,” the resident said, referring to the possibility that the entire road area could one day collapse, rendering neighbours on both ends unable to travel to and from the town square and other communities.
The thoroughfare is frequented as it leads into major towns in St Catherine, St Mary and St Ann, alongside trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles.
“Boy, it feel like one forty, thirty tonne. It nuh normal, it look scary more than anything,” he exclaimed, adding that he wished for no vehicular catastrophe to occur while motorists continue to use the corridor.
Residents say on multiple occasions, the National Works Agency (NWA) would visit the area but would only observe.
“I spoke to one guy, he said that a nuh NWA thing,” one resident explained.
Calls and questions posed to Robert Montague, member of parliament for St Mary Western, went unanswered up to press time.
Stephen Shaw, NWA’s communications and customer service manager, said he was unable to comment because he was involved in a full-day road tour on Wednesday.
oncoming danger
Hannu Small, a taxi driver who has been operating his taxi along the Gayle to Guy’s Hill route for around 35 years, said he doesn’t know how he has survived this long given the oncoming danger that awaits motorists.
“We nuh really want it guh nuh further because we a guh inna trouble,” he exclaimed, in reference to the hole.
He went on to say that there are several other deteriorating roads in the vicinity and constituency on a whole that are in serious need of repair but have yet to be fixed.
“Parts a wear, car lick up, it nah go work,” another resident chimed in, who explained that he has had to park his car and walk because of repeated costs incurred by the deplorable road conditions.
Community members have expressed optimism that the pit will not become any larger and that MP Montague will solve it as soon as possible. Other local roads, such as the White Hall Bridge, which joins the parishes of St Ann and St Mary, have been badly damaged.
Locals remain hopeful that Montague and Lisa Hanna, MP for St Ann South East, will work together to address the issue.
Hanna informed The Gleaner that she is waiting for an estimate from the NWA, noting that it is too early to determine when the damage would be repaired.
The St Ann South East MP noted that she and Montague “have collaborated on other infrastructural projects on our borders in the past” and that she will always be ready for discourse on topics relating to improving the lives of Jamaicans.
“This bridge serves both parishes and is for the good of everyone,” said Hanna.