Following 14 months of intensive construction and rehabilitation work, a key rural roadway at Airy Hill Bottom in St Joseph has officially reopened to vehicle and pedestrian traffic, marking a major milestone in a government-led infrastructure upgrade initiative across the region. The completed project forms part of the Ministry of Transport and Works’ (MTW) $230 million Scotland District Road Rehabilitation Programme (SDRRP), delivered in a partnership between main contractor China National Complete Plant Import and Export Corporation (COMPLANT) and local sub-contractor Infra Construction Inc.
Major upgrade works targeting improved road safety and long-term infrastructure resilience on Airy Hill kicked off in early 2023. At the project launch, George Holder, MTW’s official project representative for the SDRRP, outlined the full scope of work for the site, which included full realignment of the road’s path and complete replacement of an aging, failing culvert. Holder explained that the original road layout featured a notoriously dangerous curve that had long been a safety hazard for motorists, while the existing culvert had degraded beyond repair.
“The old culvert could no longer handle peak water flow during heavy rain events, so we are increasing its overall capacity to prevent flooding and future structural damage,” Holder noted of the upgrade.
Beyond the completed Airy Hill Bottom project, Holder provided an updated progress report on other active infrastructure projects across the Scotland District, confirming that three critical bridge structures are currently under active construction: Melvin Hill Bridge in St Joseph, and Dark Hole Bridge and Brucevale Bridge in St Andrew. Both Melvin Hill Bridge and Dark Hole Bridge were forced to close last year after suffering sudden structural failure, making their replacement a top priority for the ministry.
Holder added that the project team initially faced significant access challenges when trying to reach the Dark Hole Bridge site, but those barriers have now been resolved. Construction is proceeding on schedule, with a full completion target set for August 2024.
At the Brucevale Bridge site, the project team is on track to finish all foundation work by the end of June 2024. Once foundations are finalized, crews will move forward to construct the bridge’s superstructure and side abutments, followed by installation of the finished bridge deck. The full Brucevale Bridge replacement project is projected to wrap up in late August to early September 2024, at which point the connecting roadway will reopen to public traffic.
Progress is also advancing on upgrade works along the Ermie Bourne Highway, where multiple aging culverts and structural components are being replaced after decades of wear and erosion. In the Cattlewash section of the highway, paving has already been completed, and construction crews have now moved north to continue upgrades along the stretch leading into Barclays Park.
This report was provided via public notice from the Ministry of Transport and Works.