Trelawny business community calls for streetlights, traffic signals
Published:Tuesday | November 15, 2022 | 12:09 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE TRELAWNY business community has welcomed plans for the expansion of the 60-kilometre stretch from Montego Bay in St James to St Ann into a four-lane highway, but is appealing for supporting infrastructure in areas prone to accidents.
James Tweedie, first vice president of the Trelawny Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), said there is a need for streetlights, traffic signals and improvements to minor roads to significantly reduce congestion and improve pedestrian safety along the corridor.
“While we laud the possibility of improvement to the highway, we believe such improvement would be woefully incomplete if it were not accompanied by these urgently needed complements,” Tweedie said.
Tweedie says twin traffic signals are needed at the surface and underpass of the interchange at Martha Brae, traffic and pedestrian signals at the Hague housing scheme, and pedestrian signal and sidewalks to accommodate residents in the numerous housing developments, including Daniel Town.
“This will ensure that the highway is optimal and safely connected to the many communities with which many coastal developments are mutually dependent,” he reasoned.
The TCCI also noted that an additional asset to the parish’s landscape would be the provision of fibre-optic connections to enable traffic signal operations on a “ring-like” basis to ensure connection to the police, fire stations, the JamaicaEye system, as well as Historic Falmouth, the cruise-shipping in the Trelawny capital.
Those critical works, Tweedie argued, will better accommodate taxis and other vehicles that frequently enter, exit or along the corridor, especially at Bogue Gate/Greenside, the overpass bridge at Martha Brae, the Hague housing scheme, and the Daniel Town/Rock intersections.
Homer Davis, minister of state in the Office of the Prime Minister West, has disclosed that the Government is spearheading the investment of approximately $124 billion to build a new four-lane highway from Rose Hall in Montego Bay, St James, to Mammee Bay, St Ann.
The Government has engaged the International Finance Corporation – the private sector arm of the World Bank Group – to design and execute what is expected to be Jamaica’s first public-private partnership road project.
“This is well advanced. This is not a pipe dream. This will be a reality very soon. From SeaCastles [in Barrett Town, St James] to Mammee Bay, a modern four-lane highway to the tune of some US$800 million,” Davis said. “The new four-lane highway will, upon completion, bypass congestion-prone spots at Priory, Runaway Bay and Discovery Bay in St Ann.”