'They have no right of access' - NWA rejects complaints about Washington Blvd project

Mel Cooke, Sunday Gleaner Writer

The National Works Agency (NWA) has rejected criticisms from some commercial operators that access to their premises was being adversely affected by a major road expansion project along the Washington Boulevard-Dunrobin Avenue corridor.

According to the NWA's communications manager, Stephen Shaw, many of these premises have for many years been enjoying illegal access from Washington Boulevard to their premises.

"The premises in question are in fact listed as residential lots and have their approved entrances on some of the off-shoot roads along the corridor, such as Renfield Drive and Gilmour Avenue."

Shaw said the the premises along the Washington Boulevard- Dunrobin Avenue corridor which are listed as commercial lots and, therefore, had legally approved access from the main corridor will be accommodated.

"These premises with legally approved access from the Washington Boulevard and Dunrobin Avenue will, upon completion of the project, be allowed left-in, left-out access to and from the corridor".

Complaints

Meanwhile, despite complaints of the project taking longer than promised, the NWA insists that the Washington Boulevard Improve-ment Project is within its slated time frame.

The project involves the widening of the roadway from two to six lanes to improve traffic flow; reconstruction of the existing pavement; construction of boundary walls along the new road alignment; putting in sidewalks, kerbs, drains, box culverts and retaining walls; and the building of three major bridges.

"The civil works aspect of which commenced in February 2010, was designed as an 18-month project. The NWA had, prior to the start of the civil works along the Washington Boulevard-Dunrobin Avenue corridor, convened 12 sensitisation meetings with residents and business interests along the corridor and its environs," the agency said.

Despite these sensitisation meetings, some businesses are seeing new problems.

A representative of Active Traders, a household supplies business which has been at 29 Dunrobin Avenue for more than seven years, says the operation is feeling the strain of not only the roadwork - which was expected - but the prospect of reduced parking space and the impact on business.

"We have had this going on for four to six months. It has affected our business. We have customers who have told us that they will not come back until the work is done," he said.

In its response to The Sunday Gleaner, the NWA apologised for the "unavoidable inconvenience" which residents, motorists and business interests are being asked to endure while the work is in progress.

However, the Active Traders representative pointed out that due to the widening of the road there was now far less space - about a car length remains - between the property and the main road, so motorists will have difficulty seeing the oncoming traffic without protruding into the road.

Compounding this is the fact that the road is higher than the business place and the drivers exiting the premises have to go up a ramp.

"We have lost 20 feet of property. We knew that a long time ago, so I can't complain about that," he said.

However, there is the matter of the delivery trailers accessing Active Traders, as they have to reverse onto the property. This will inevitably result in a hold-up in traffic and, currently, there are some doubts about how the trailers will get in, with the roadwork at its current stage.

"It is infuriating," the business operator said.