Cops fear raised roadway could cause flooding of Ferry station.
WORK ON the service road that runs adjacent to the nearly completed section of the Mandela Highway in the vicinity of the Ferry Police Station has been temporarily halted because of an apparent oversight, which could prove to be a disaster in the upcoming hurricane season.
Inspector Dorel Jackson pointed to a section of the roadway that has been raised nearly four feet above the original level and which he says could pose a flood risk.
“They have halted the work for a moment because they now realise that the planned construction is a disaster in the making for us who serve from this police station,” Jackson said.
“I am not sure if the designers of the road never saw that raising it would be a problem for us, and I assume that the other nearby businesses along the stretch on this low-lying part of the highway may have a similar concern,” he said.
DRAINS TO BE INSTALLED
The police inspector said that the matter was raised with representatives of the National Works Agency (NWA) and the executing agency, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), and that they have since looked into how best to address the matter.
Meanwhile, NWA Communications Manager Stephen Shaw told The Gleaner that the agency is aware of the concerns raised by the police and is taking steps to treat the matter. “The work is incomplete. Drains will be put in and the Chinese will be dealing with this in short order,” noted Shaw.
“These are outstanding works, but because of the plan to have the traffic situated on the newly built roadway and for work to begin on the other side, it was not done. But it will be dealt with,” added Shaw.