‘Mill and Pave’ on ‘road to progress’

A month after its inception, the government has already resurfaced a dozen roads spanning 8.8 kilometres with work underway on an additional nine roads, a report card on its Mill and Pave Programme has said.

In a Ministry of Transport update issued on Friday, it was revealed that the resurfacing of the Brighton to Constant Roundabout road in St. George is set to begin on Saturday night, followed by the Franklin Douglin Road in St. Andrew next week.

The $30 million initiative is being touted as a pivotal component of MTW’s ongoing maintenance strategy to extend road longevity and enhance motorists’ experience across the island. The programme primarily targets roads with deteriorated surfaces where utility services are already in place or do not need significant upgrades, as well as those not requiring reconstruction and drainage works.

In a statement, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Works Santia Bradshaw said: The Accelerated Mill and Pave Programme has been going extremely well.

It is also milling and paving Canewood to Proute, St. Thomas, and Market Hill to Locust Hall, St. George.

Infra Construction Inc. began work in St. Lucy on January 15, with milling and paving activities spanning from Crab Hill to Archers Bay. It also completed projects such as Crab Hill Development, Mount View to Josey Hill, Salmonds Avenue, and Well Road/Pie Corner. Ongoing projects include Clarke Road in St. Peter, Upper Mount Standfast, Upper Carlton No. 2, and Porters Road in St. James, Jordan’s Road in St. Andrew, and Oistins-Thornbury Hill/Durants in Christ Church.

The Brighton-Constant work is to be done by C.O. Williams while Infra is to work on Franklin Doughlin Road.

Bradshaw explained: “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.”

In addition to the Accelerated Mill and Pave Programme, MTW is actively engaged in the Scotland District Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project, funded by the Exim Bank of China, and the Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) roads project under the Development Bank of Latin America’s (CAF) Programme.
(BGIS/BT)