Major roadworks to enhance road safety and infrastructure in Airy Hill Bottom, St. Joseph are set to begin on Monday, March 24, 2025, as part of the Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW) Scotland District Road Rehabilitation Project (SDRRP).
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Works, Santia Bradshaw made the announcement during a tour of St. Joseph yesterday, Thursday, March 20, 2025, as she provided an update on road construction plans for the parish. The roadworks at Airy Hill Bottom are estimated to last for approximately four months, and residents and motorists should expect some minor inconvenience due to the road closure.
On tour, Minister Bradshaw was accompanied by the Attorney General and Parliamentary Representative for the area, Dale Marshall; the Parliamentary Secretary of MTW, Dr. Romel Springer; MTW’s Project Representative on the SDRRP George Holder, as well as officials from the Ministry and construction companies scheduled to work at Airy Hill Bottom.
Mr. Holder explained that the scope of works for the area includes road realignment and repairs to a culvert. “It [the road] has a dangerous bend. We will also be replacing the culvert because it has failed and it is undersized. We need to increase the capacity for the flow of water through it,” he said.
Attorney General and Parliamentary Representative for St. Joseph, Dale Marshall expressed gratitude for the planned start of the roadworks, especially since he said the road had collapsed four or five years ago. “It is obvious to anyone that the road is unsafe and it has a narrow bend. There have been quite a few near misses where individuals have almost driven over the edge, so for that reason, I am welcoming the fact that we have begun to put this project on the ground.”
In acknowledging the complexity of road repairs, he noted a lot of technical and geo-technical studies needed to be carried out in the Scotland District. “The Scotland District is unique. You cannot just come in and fix it. It is not as simple as in other parishes, it is far more complex and costlier,” Mr. Marshall said.
Minister Bradshaw said that in addition to the work at Airy Hill, there are other projects ongoing and upcoming in the parish of St. Joseph. “The residents of St. Joseph need to be aware that there are about ten major ongoing projects. We are at different stages, whether it is the design or construction phase across the district. One thing that we had to ensure, because of the condition of the soil, was that we did the proper design and now we are at a position to accelerate a lot of the work. Outside of the work being done under the Scotland District Road Rehabilitation Project, internally, we also have works being started in Coconut Grove and Fruitful Hill. The tenders have been completed, we now have those designs, so we can move on to the next stage, and work is expected to start shortly.” She also explained that work at Layne’s Bridge, one of the ongoing projects in St. Joseph, is scheduled to recommence in about a week. A new concrete culvert has been constructed and gabions are also being installed. She noted that a few challenges arose which caused a slowdown in the progression of the work. However, a solution was being finalized. The Deputy Prime Minister said that within two years, “the people of St. Joseph will start to see the benefits of the infrastructural works that the Ministry of Transport and Works has been doing in this community.”