Gordon Town Road closed
ST ANDREW, Jamaica—The National Works Agency (NWA) says effective immediately the Gordon Town Road in St Andrew is closed in the vicinity of Stand Up Hill.
The NWA said the roadway is not safe for use by any mode of transportation.
The agency said the roadway was reduced to less than a driving lane after a section of the embankment failed over the weekend following heavy rains associated with Tropical Storm Eta.
NWA Communication and Customer Services Manager, Stephen Shaw, said the breakaway poses a grave risk to motorised, as well as pedestrian traffic, and urges residents to avoid the area.
If persons need to travel between Gordon Town and other locations, they are encouraged to use the Irish Town or Newcastle Road which passes through Silver Hill Gap, Content and Guava Ridge.
Shaw said while the NWA recognises that the detour route is much longer than the ordinary route, it is the only safe, accessible and practical way available at this time.
He said that the agency has identified an alternative roadway through Savage Pen, however extensive work is required to make the parochial road traversable in sections.
The preparation of Savage Pen Road, Shaw said, depends on the weather over the next few days, which is forecast to produce more rains.
“In light of this, the NWA is reminding the public to remain vigilant when using roadways located in hilly terrain like Gordon Town and neighbouring settlements, as well as to obey the prohibition order now in place in relation to Gordon Town road,” the agency said.