Infrastructure authorities have launched an urgent safety enhancement initiative focusing on nighttime visibility improvements along the Millennium Highway and West Coast Road Reconstruction Project. This decisive action comes in response to two separate vehicular incidents occurring within hours of each other on January 6th and 7th along the Cul-de-Sac Road construction corridor.
Project Management Unit investigations reveal both incidents involved vehicles entering an open excavation trench in Lot 2A, a section currently under the operational control of Namalco Construction Services Limited. While preliminary assessments confirmed the presence of standard barricades, the pre-dawn darkness appears to have compromised the effectiveness of reflective safety installations.
The Ministry’s Project Management Unit has initiated comprehensive discussions with the contractor to reevaluate and reinforce nighttime visibility protocols. Key measures under consideration include upgraded reflective signage, enhanced barricade illumination systems, and additional warning mechanisms specifically designed for low-light conditions.
Officials emphasized that contractual obligations mandate contractors to implement robust safety measures including appropriate barricading, reflective elements, and warning signage throughout construction zones. The PMU maintains continuous oversight to ensure compliance with these safety requirements.
However, authorities simultaneously underscored the shared responsibility paradigm for construction zone safety. Motorists are being strongly advised to exercise heightened vigilance, reduce speeds significantly, and maintain maximum attentiveness to signage when navigating active construction areas during nighttime hours. The PMU specifically noted that excessive speed and driver distraction dramatically diminish reaction capabilities when encountering unexpected road hazards.
The Ministry has reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing safety protocol evaluations and maintains continuous collaboration with contractors to ensure public protection as the critical infrastructure project advances.