Three Miles flyovers open, NWA expects smooth flow
Published:Monday | September 2, 2019 | 12:17 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
The head of the National Works Agency (NWA) has said that motorists who choose to use the flyovers at Three Miles should experience a smooth journey into and out of Kingston as the new school year begins today.
Yesterday, NWA officials and police personnel toured various ongoing road projects in the Corporate Areas to assess the state of readiness among the capital’s busiest thoroughfares.
Workmen were busy erecting traffic signals and signs and smoothing things over to have the roadways ready for today.
NWA CEO E.G. Hunter told The Gleaner that commuters will have access from either direction for the bridges along Hagley Park and Spanish Town roads as well as off Marcus Garvey Drive.
“Underneath the bridges, the driving lanes have been delineated and the police have agreed to give to us that extra help to make sure that everyone conforms, especially with the parking in that area, where we believe will give us the most challenge, but the physical access will be there,” Hunter noted.
He added that Chesterfield Drive will remain open as an alternative route for those who do not wish to travel through Portia Simpson Miller Square.
“We had a briefing with the police this morning (yesterday), and they are of the view, as we are, that there should not be a problem with the physical infrastructure in terms of its ability to cope with the traffic,” said Hunter.
Uninhibited passage
He added that there will be free and uninhibited passage along all the corridors even as work continues on the verges and sidewalks.
The NWA CEO is urging the public to exercise patience as the agency wraps up the projects.
“We say this upfront that, yes, we are aware that some of the sidewalks are not yet in place, but work will continue on those,” said Hunter.
He also urged motorists to exercise caution as there are raised manhole covers along some of the roadways as the final layer of asphalt has not yet been laid.
“We are asking that drivers show some amount of caution and note that these will be dealt with during the course of the week. We have raised them and the concrete is just setting, hence our caution to drivers,” he said of those on Hagley Park Road.
The police, meanwhile, have issued a strong warning that no parking will be allowed along the roadways.