NWA working to repair damaged Belmont main road in Westmoreland, temporary detour being planned

The National Works Agency (NWA) says it is moving to implement a solution for a damaged section of the Belmont main road in Westmoreland, where part of the roadway has broken away.

The affected roadway, which links Black River in St Elizabeth to Savanna-la-Mar in Westmoreland, has been reduced to single-lane traffic after a section of the embankment failed.

According to the NWA, assessments by its technical team revealed that damage to a portion of the seawall led to the road being undermined.

Further, the NWA said the team also discovered that a cave existed beneath the roadway, which was exposed by heavy rainfall and strong wave action that affected the parish two weeks ago.

Community Relations Officer for the NWA’s Western Region, Janel Ricketts, said the agency has completed a detailed technical assessment and is now working on a design to repair the damaged section.

In the meantime, efforts are under way to construct a temporary detour corridor to facilitate safer movement of traffic. '

Ricketts indicated that the detour is expected to be operational shortly.

The area has already been cordoned off and warning signs installed to alert motorists.

Ricketts added that once traffic is diverted onto the temporary route, further assessments will be carried out on the existing road embankment.

The remainder of the seawall will also be examined for any structural weaknesses, given its exposure to ongoing wave action.

Motorists are being urged to exercise caution while travelling through the area.

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