Clarendon roads set for $192m fix

Clarendon is to benefit from $192 million under a $1.6 billion national road-patching programme due to begin within two weeks. The pledge follows complaints from residents and taxi operators in Cherry Tree Lane and Clarendon Gardens.

Minister of Works Robert Morgan told The Gleaner that repairs would be carried out shortly under the government’s rehabilitation programme. He said works, expected to finish in February, will cover the stretch from Guinep Tree in May Pen to Osbourne Store.

Senior communications officer at the NWA, Monique Gordon, added that although the programme focuses on perimeter roads, it would also consider sections of Cherry Tree Lane and Clarendon Gardens, where taxi operators blocked roads earlier this week.

“This patching programme will capture the perimeter roads; however, consideration will be given to sections of Cherry Tree Lane and Clarendon Gardens in Clarendon,” she said. She noted that while the NWA maintains the main network, initiatives such as SPARK (Shared Prosperity Through Accelerated Improvement to Our Road Network) target community and rural roads.

Frustration remains acute. Motorists complain of deep potholes, mud-filled craters and eroded surfaces, conditions that worsen whenever it rains. They say the deteriorated roadway has accelerated vehicle damage, leading to costly repairs and, in some cases, cars immobilised for hours.

Resident Ramone Henry said the situation has persisted for months. “Months on top of months the road in bad condition. Yuh cyaa get nowhere to drive. Bare pothole, and everything dem throw on the road. As rain fall, it becomes a mess,” he said. He described vehicles stuck in mud, including three cars on Tuesday, one of which had to be pulled out by a truck.

Taxi operators echoed the anger. Duffus, who plies the Denbigh to Four Paths route, called the situation disastrous. “The condition of the road terrible … very terrible … ’bout seven cars stuck [in the potholes] Tuesday. We want proper roads. It nuh mek sense a charge wi fi fitness and say yuh car nuh fit fi the road, but a the road nuh fit fi yuh car,” he said.

WEARY OF TEMPORARY FIXES

Another commuter said residents had grown weary of temporary fixes. “Wi tired a it. A bare front-end parts wi a fi a fix every minute. A long time wi a face this, and wi tired a it. A couple years well. Wi nah see no improvement. A just marl and mud water.”

Lothan Cousins, MP for Clarendon South Western, acknowledged the hardship, saying he had intervened personally while awaiting official action. Marl and river shingles were laid along Cherry Tree Lane to strengthen the base and reduce mud during rainfall.

“Yet again, this is not a government-funded initiative. All works are being carried out by the member of parliament in a private capacity using private resources,” he said.

Cousins described the roadway as a critical artery serving Clarendon South Western and neighbouring areas, including Thompson Town, Mocho and commuters from Manchester into May Pen, particularly since toll collection began on the highway. He said traffic had accelerated deterioration.

He added that he had repeatedly raised the matter with the NWA, but was told repairs remained at the procurement stage, an outcome he called unacceptable. Residents who blocked the road, he argued, should be engaged rather than penalised.

Cousins also pointed to inequities in road maintenance, noting that Kingston’s damaged roads often receive prompt attention while Clarendon waits for years despite comparable traffic volumes. He urged the NWA to confirm whether the Jacob’s Hut to Four Paths road and other major thoroughfares are included in upcoming programmes.

Addressing concerns about equity, Gordon said funding decisions are complex. “The choice of allocation for funding is a complex one where a number of factors are taken into consideration. The aim is to ensure that with limited resources, the worst-affected corridors receive attention,” she said.

Beyond Cherry Tree Lane and Clarendon Gardens, Cousins listed other roads in urgent need of repair, including Foga Road to Milk River, Alley to Rest, Denbigh Drive and Comfort Road. He warned that continued neglect would deepen hardship and undermine economic activity across the parish.

olivia.brown@gleanerjm.com