Ground Broken for $2.4-Billion Road Expansion in Portmore
Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, officially broke ground on Wednesday for the $2.4-billion dualisation of the Naggo Head to Braeton Road, marking the start of a major infrastructure upgrade aimed at improving traffic flow in Portmore.
The 16-month project, being implemented under the Government’s Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) Programme, will span approximately three kilometres.
It stretches from Naggo Head to the intersection of Braeton Road and Hellshire Main Road, continuing along Hellshire Main Road to South East Street.
The roadway will be upgraded to a four-lane thoroughfare with a raised median, sidewalks, and traffic signals at key intersections.
Additional features include drainage infrastructure such as sewers, and the installation of fibre-optic cable ducts under the National Broadband Initiative.
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony on Braeton Road, Prime Minister Holness said the project is essential to reducing congestion amid Portmore’s continued housing and commercial growth.
“Portmore is becoming, largely, a kind of self-generating and self-contained economic entity,” he said, highlighting the growth in business process outsourcing (BPO), commercial, retail, manufacturing, and entertainment activities in the municipality.
The Prime Minister added that congestion from external traffic will also be addressed with other infrastructure works, including a proposed new entrance from Mandela Highway into Portmore. “So, what we are doing is building out those critical corridors. We have done Grange Lane and we are now doing this corridor,” he noted.
Mayor of Portmore, Councillor Leon Thomas, welcomed the development, pointing to the long-standing traffic issues affecting residents, especially those in South East St. Catherine. “[It is] really a severe impact, and with this project continuing, we should see significant improvement along the corridor,” he said.
Member of Parliament for St. Catherine Southern, Fitz Jackson, also expressed support, pledging ongoing coordination between stakeholders and contractors to minimise disruption to residents.
The project is being carried out by S&G Road Surfacing Materials Limited.
Remember to share this article on Facebook and other Social Media Platforms. To submit your own articles or to advertise with us please send us an EMAIL at: [email protected]