Traffic changes today along Portmore toll road
Effective today, changes will be made to the flow of traffic along the Portmore toll road, where it intersects with Marcus Garvey Drive, the National Works Agency (NWA) said yesterday.
Buses travelling from the direction of Portmore will not be allowed to set down passengers in the vicinity of the overhead bridge, as the agency tries to reduce the significant backup along the Portmore toll road, especially since the opening of the new Chesterfield Road, said NWA Manager, Communication and Customer Services Stephen Shaw.
Shaw said that based on observations, it had been determined that a significant cause of the backup was the constant interruptions by pedestrians of the vehicular traffic flow. Buses operated by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) and its franchise holders have been setting down passengers near the bridge. The majority of these passengers then block the traffic as they head across the median to the Port.
The NWA and the State-run JUTC have agreed to have all buses travel through the Port, where they will properly set down passengers heading into that area. No stopping will therefore be allowed on the toll road. Those wishing to disembark vehicles in order to head in the Three Miles direction will be allowed to do so, on the section of Marcus Garvey Drive that leads to that area.
Shaw said that the NWA was contemplating other changes to optimise the use of both the Portmore Toll and Chesterfield Drive. He urged pedestrians to desist from climbing the median along the Portmore toll road as they are putting themselves at risk of injury or death.