MONTEGO BAY, St. James: The St. James Parish Council has carried out patching and repair works – funded with approximately six million dollars ($6M) from the Special Grant for Repairs (SRG) Emergency Funds- on the Irwin Road.
Superintendent of Roads and Works at the Council, Bryce Grant, said that more than 300 metres of the terribly-ruptured thoroughfare was rehabilitated over a two-week period that ended on February 24.
“We have been in the area undertaking preliminary works on the roadway since February 12, and we were able to restore the most critical sections of the road with asphalted concrete,” explained Supt. Grant.
“The remaining one hundred metres of roadway will be repaired upon the receipt of funds for patching and additional drainage.”
The repairs have brought much relief to the residents of Irwin, St. James as well as the school communities of the Irwin Primary and Irwin High Schools.
Loxley Jackson, president of the Irwin Citizens Association, said the community is pleased to see the works being done, as the road had been in a state of disrepair for almost seven years. He described the road works as being “timely” as it complements the new police post, which was officially opened on Wednesday, February 26, 2014.
“We had a meeting recently and most persons are truly pleased with the development; we see it as positive as it will also improve residents’ productivity while facilitating better policing of the community and I do hope that the Parish Council will complete the entire roadway in the short-term, and that the proper infrastructure, particularly drainage at critical points, be put in place,” concluded Jackson.
The Irwin Road falls within the parochial boundaries of the Springmount and Mount Salem Divisions that are represented by Councillors Stein Graham and Avrie Rosegreen, respectively.