Collapsed Bangor Ridge road leaves 1,500 stranded
NWA working to restore access for Portland communities
Published:Tuesday | November 26, 2024 | 12:08 AMGareth Davis Sr/Gleaner Writer
BANGOR RIDGE, Portland:
The National Works Agency (NWA) is working to carve out a section of a hillside to establish at least a single-lane connection for motorists after the main road at Bangor Ridge in Portland collapsed on Saturday. The incident has left approximately 1,500 residents stranded.
Continuous heavy rains since late last week caused a significant road breakaway in Bangor Ridge, a farming community in western Portland, making it impassable for vehicles.
The situation has been worsened by a large landslide about two kilometres away, cutting off access to other nearby communities such as Mahoe, Fairfield, Mango Row, and Barnett.
On Monday, the NWA dispatched a team equipped with heavy-duty machinery to the area to dig into the hillside and create a temporary pathway for small vehicles. The team also aims to clear the major landslide as part of the restoration efforts.
“This is a farm area, which produces varied crops, including coffee, banana, plantain, yam, pepper, pumpkin, carrot, and dasheen. It is reaping time now, so it is important for them to earn from their livelihood,” Rohan Vassell, councillor for Balcarres division, told The Gleaner, underscoring the urgency of restoring access.
“This major breakaway of the road, which has halted the movement of vehicular traffic, along with the massive landslide, has to be cleared with the utmost urgency. Some teachers and students are unable to get to the Fairfield Primary School, which is affecting learning,” he added, calling for patience from anxious residents.
Meanwhile, some residents have expressed dissatisfaction with the NWA, blaming poor maintenance of the asphalt road for its collapse. They claim they have long requested proper drainage and culverts to channel rainwater away from the roadway.
Sixty-six-year-old farmer Melvin Tyrell criticised the lack of cross-drains, which he believes contributed to the road’s collapse and the landslide.
“Lack a maintenance of the whole road. ... Mi go all a di parish council office (Portland Municipal Corporation) a Port Antonio and report it, and di man dem a gi mi promises say dem a come fi come deal with. Up to now, nobody nuh come,” he said.