One month after the Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW) launched the Accelerated Mill and Pave Programme, 12 roads, totalling 8.8 km, have been resurfaced.
Work is ongoing on another nine roads, and Brighton to Constant, St. George, is due to start Saturday night, and Franklin Douglin Road, St. Andrew, next week.
The $30 million initiative, announced earlier this year by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, forms a critical part of MTW’s ongoing maintenance plan to help extend the longevity of roads while providing a smoother ride for motorists across the island.
The programme focuses on roads with deteriorated surfaces where utility services have already been installed or do not require significant upgrades, and roads that do not require reconstruction and drainage works.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Works, Santia Bradshaw, said: “The Accelerated Mill and Pave Programme has been going extremely well. We have been able to provide smoother surfaces along many roads that have been neglected for a while, for example at Arthur Seat in St. Thomas. This type of maintenance will help preserve the subbase and lengthen the life of the road. In the long run, surface improvement will reduce expenditure compared to the cost of pothole patching.”
C.O. Williams Construction Limited and Infra Construction Inc. are contracted to carry out the work, which is being done in double shifts. C. O Williams commenced its portion of work along Salters to Constant, St. George, on January 13. In addition to completing that stretch of road, C. O Williams Construction Limited also finished:
- Archers Lane, St. Peter
- Arthur Seat (Sharon Primary School to Padmore Village Rd.) St. Thomas
- Bovell Road, Speightstown, St. Peter
- Chapel Street, Speightstown, St. Peter
- Goddings Alley, Speightstown, St. Peter
- Mango Lane, Speightstown, St. Peter
It is also milling and paving Canewood to Proute, St. Thomas, and Market Hill to Locust Hall, St. George. C.O. Williams Construction Limited will also start work from Brighton to Constant Roundabout, St. George, on Saturday, February 17, 2024.
Infra Construction Inc. started work in St. Lucy on January 15, where milling and paving began from Crab Hill to Archers Bay. The company completed that stretch of road in addition to:
- Crab Hill Development
- Mount View to Josey Hill
- Salmonds Avenue
- Well Road/Pie Corner
The ongoing projects are Clarke Road, St Peter; Upper Mount Standfast, Upper Carlton No. 2 and Porters Road all in St. James; Jordan’s Road, St. Andrew, and Oistins to Thornbury Hill/Durants in Christ Church. Infra Construction will start work on Franklin Douglin Road, St. Andrew next week.
“I want to say to people who may ask ‘Why is my road not being done under this programme?’ Well, some roads will need more than a simple surface replacement. They may require reconstruction which could involve engineering studies, designs, drainage and utility work, and upgrades to the street infrastructure. Some roads may be prone to slippage or other peculiarities that cannot be corrected under the Accelerated Mill and Pave Programme. So, your road may be under another ministry programme which may be more time intensive and require a more technical solution,” Minister Bradshaw said.
In addition to the Accelerated Mill and Pave Programme, MTW has work ongoing under the Scotland District Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project, funded by the Exim Bank of China, and the Development Bank of Latin America’s Programme, which includes the Roller Compacted Concrete roads project.