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Mount Rosser bypass concerns
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Dear Editor,
The NROCC has stated that the Spanish Town to Ocho Rios segment of Highway 2000 will begin in the last quarter of 2007, while the PM says it will begin in June 2007. However, we note that construction of the Mount Rosser bypass seems to have already started on Windalco property from 2006. What's happening here?
There are many concerns by civil engineers that the gradient of this section will be too steep, similar to the situation at Spur Tree Hill. This will result in much fuel consumption going up, and dangerous braking problems coming down. Are we repeating the Spur Tree folly?
The highway will exit in the vicinity of Dunn's River, we are told. This corridor is a 50 KPH zone, single-lane roadway that is congested, has dangerous corners and little room for widening without serious dislocation and damage to this delicate portion of our tourism product.
If this exit is placed on the Dunn's River corridor and it remains 50 KPH and single lane, chaos will reign, as there will be a massive pile-up during peak hours, similar to the fiasco where the Portmore toll road meets Marcus Garvey Drive.
I suppose we will then be told that traffic has increased by 100 per cent. We are told that the alignment of the highway is based on capturing the maximum traffic flow between Ocho Rios and Spanish Town. Unfortunately, most of this traffic consist of "route taxis". Are we, therefore, planning such a vital link on which our country's future progress depends based on "route taxis", or should we take into consideration the movement of other sectors, such as cargo, tourism, etc?
Michael McLeod
mykemcleod@hotmail.com
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Dear Editor,
The NROCC has stated that the Spanish Town to Ocho Rios segment of Highway 2000 will begin in the last quarter of 2007, while the PM says it will begin in June 2007. However, we note that construction of the Mount Rosser bypass seems to have already started on Windalco property from 2006. What's happening here?
There are many concerns by civil engineers that the gradient of this section will be too steep, similar to the situation at Spur Tree Hill. This will result in much fuel consumption going up, and dangerous braking problems coming down. Are we repeating the Spur Tree folly?
The highway will exit in the vicinity of Dunn's River, we are told. This corridor is a 50 KPH zone, single-lane roadway that is congested, has dangerous corners and little room for widening without serious dislocation and damage to this delicate portion of our tourism product.
If this exit is placed on the Dunn's River corridor and it remains 50 KPH and single lane, chaos will reign, as there will be a massive pile-up during peak hours, similar to the fiasco where the Portmore toll road meets Marcus Garvey Drive.
I suppose we will then be told that traffic has increased by 100 per cent. We are told that the alignment of the highway is based on capturing the maximum traffic flow between Ocho Rios and Spanish Town. Unfortunately, most of this traffic consist of "route taxis". Are we, therefore, planning such a vital link on which our country's future progress depends based on "route taxis", or should we take into consideration the movement of other sectors, such as cargo, tourism, etc?
Michael McLeod
mykemcleod@hotmail.com
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