Residents and commuters in St Andrew, Jamaica can look forward to the resumption of critical infrastructure work on Oakland Crescent and Oakland Road this Thursday, after a months-long suspension earlier this year. The upgrades are part of the government’s flagship Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) programme, a public works initiative focused on upgrading critical transportation and utility infrastructure across the island.
In an official statement released to the public on Wednesday, Stephen Shaw, the National Works Agency (NWA)’s Manager of Communication and Customer Services, confirmed that all lingering technical hurdles that forced the work stoppage have been fully addressed. The $92 million joint infrastructure upgrade faced unforeseen delays when lead contractor China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Limited struggled to source the specialized pipe fittings required for the project’s new waterline installation work.
To keep progress moving while the supply issue was resolved, the project team reorganized the work schedule. Instead of pausing all activity, crews shifted focus to completing non-utility segments of the project, including pouring concrete sidewalks, constructing V-shaped drainage ditches, and installing curbs and channel systems along both roadways. That parallel work is now complete, and the required pipe fittings have finally arrived, clearing the last bureaucratic and logistical barrier to wrapping up the full project.
When finished, both Oakland Road and Oakland Crescent will deliver long-overdue improvements to the local community. Upgrades include brand-new potable waterlines, a reinforced road base, a smooth new asphaltic concrete driving surface, and enhanced drainage infrastructure designed to reduce flooding during Jamaica’s heavy rainy seasons. The project is split between the two roadways: $52 million has been allocated to the upgrades on Oakland Road, while the work on Oakland Crescent carries a $40 million price tag.
All construction work is being carried out simultaneously on both corridors, with on-site oversight provided by NO Whyte and Associates Limited. Shaw noted that contractors are now positioned to accelerate work to meet revised project timelines, bringing the upgraded roadways online for local use as quickly as possible.