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GROUND BROKEN FOR WASHINGTON GARDEN/DUNROBIN AVENUE ROAD PROJECT

Mr. Stephen Shaw at the microphone addressing members of the audience at the Community meeting. Others in the pic from left to right are: Mr. Lee Clarke, Deputy Mayor of Kingston; Mr. Norman Shand, City Engineer (partly hidden) and Mr. Peter Thompson of Surrey Paving, Contractors for the Project.

Ground was broken for the Washington Boulevard/Dunrobin Avenue Road Project on Friday, February 19, 2010. Performing the ground breaking activities were Minister Mike Henry along with MP’s Derrick Smith and Dr. Peter Phillips.

The Project will involve a total of 2.75 km of roadway which will be widened from two lanes to six lanes and will undergo enhancements that include:

• Construction of four additional traffic lanes and re-construction of the existing pavement
• Construction of boundary walls along the new road alignment
• Construction of sidewalks, kerbs, drains, box culverts, retaining walls
• Construction of three new major bridge structures (an overpass at Red Hills Road and two other structures, spanning the Rochester and Red Hills Road gullies) as well as the extension of the two existing bridge structures along the corridor
• Installation of traffic signals at five intersections along the corridor in addition to installation of street lights
• 600 mm distribution water lines will also be installed along the entire stretch of the roadway
• The scope of works also includes the procurement of technical assistance to implement a Vehicle Weight Enforcement Programme.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony, Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry said that the project will see the widening of the eastern end of the Washington Boulevard corridor from the Molynes Road intersection to the intersection of Dunrobin Avenue and Constant Spring Road.

“Washington Boulevard, according to studies carried out by the Planning and Research Unit of the NWA, is a major distributor of traffic, carrying the 3^rd largest volume of traffic in the KMA during peak hours, often exceeding the corridor’s existing design capacity, resulting in heavy traffic,” Minister Henry explained.

Continuing, the Minister said, “ It is with confidence that the Ministry of Transport and Works and the NWA now embark on the execution of this civil works contract with Surrey Paving and Aggregates Ltd, to widen and re-construct this very important corridor. It will afford much improved transportation time across wide sections of the Corporate Area and indeed, the wider Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region extending into sections of St. Catherine and St. Thomas.”

The Project is estimated to cost US$23.4M, the Caribbean Development Bank being responsible for US$14.78M through a loan and the remaining US$8.6M being financed by the GOJ. The Project is expected to be completed within sixteen months.

Also speaking at the ceremony were, MP’s Derrick Smith and Dr. Peter Phillips, CEO of the NWA, Mr. Patrick Wong and Mr. Michael Archer representing the contractors, Surrey Paving and Aggregates Ltd.