Bridge replacement triggers traffic detour along Old Harbour Road
Published:Sunday | February 12, 2023 | 1:09 PM
The National Works Agency (NWA) says starting Tuesday, a traffic detour will be implemented along Old Harbour Road in the vicinity of the old Myton Gully bridge which will be replaced.
Manager, Communication and Customer Services at the NWA, Stephen Shaw, says a larger bridge will be constructed at the location near the Big Pond community, which is in St Catherine parish.
He says the works will also include improvements to the drain, both upstream and downstream of the bridge. Gabion protective works will form part of the activities.
A gabion is a cage, cylinder or box filled with rocks, concrete, or sometimes sand and soil for use in civil engineering and road building. It can function as a retaining wall that helps with soil stabilisation.
The project is being managed by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund, with the NWA supervising the works.
Motorists and pedestrians are being advised to exercise caution while traversing the area and to obey the instructions of the flag persons and the posted warning signs.
The bridge is being demolished as part of a World Bank-funded programme.
Under the programme, drainage improvement works are to be done to mitigate flooding in several St Catherine communities, including Big Pond. That aspect of the works is being done through a contract valued at $248 million and is to be completed in 12 months.
The Big Pond area is notorious for being flooded during periods of heavy rains.
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