Palisadoes Highway
I have some very serious concerns about this proposed project, which will see the creation of a 4 lane highway along the Palisadoes tombolo. Architect Clifton Yap, in his Letter of the Day on April 27, raised some excellent points, especially about whether traffic studies have been done to justify this expense (when last has there been a traffic jam heading to and from the airport??). But I wish to raise 2 points from a distinctly scientific perspective.
The first is environmental. The Palisadoes is a RAMSAR protected area, with extensive mangrove coverage stretching from the vicinity of the Royal Jamaica Yacht Club to Port Royal. The implication of construction and the lasting impact of an over-engineered stretch of road will be permanent.
The second is related to natural processes and hazard mitigation. We already know that the rock revetment work already underway is redundant, and would do nothing if we ever get whacked by a Category 3+ storm (those rocks will fly like missiles!). Yet we proceeded with their construction. And now we’re going to bundle all of this with this new super highway. Okay, get this: there is nothing a new super highway that can resist storms etc can do to withstand an earthquake. The Palisadoes suffered greatly in 1907 – Giddy House anyone? And the area around where the Donald Quarrie High School is now experienced sand volcanoes and liquefaction. So let’s not fool ourselves that this will be the lifeline to the airport in the event of a hazard impact.
I believe that if we were to focus and develop proper rock revetment works to withstand major hurricanes, as well as focus on proper macro-scale natural processes of shoreline protection – illegal sand mining has a serious effect on beach replenishment along the Palisadoes – we would achieve the same effect of shoreline protections etc. But this over-engineering plan will have some serious effects on both the environmental health of the area’s fragile mangrove ecosystems, as well as is an expensive (and myopic) attempt at shoreline protection.
So if the objective is to make a bigger, better road that will create jobs etc, say that!
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17 Responses to “Palisadoes Highway”
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this super high way is a grand waste of money
its quite clear the jlp government is just providing their party faithfuls with huge contracts to add to the national debt , the simplest solution for the imaginary traffic \is to modernise the round about at harbour view and fix the hope river bridge
Giddy House suffered liquefaction from the January 1907 earthquake. Giddy House is part of Fort Charles, which was constructed AFTER 1692. Check your history books…
Are we expecting additional traffic on the airport strip to warrant expanding it to four lanes? Perhaps some of that money could go instead towards putting in a highway from Kingston to St. Thomas to Portland. Why is it that St. Thomas is so neglected? Has anyone traversed some of those main roads recently? Going past Bath/Port Morant towards Portland, you get the feeling you are driving on a minor parochial road in need of repairs, rather than on a principal route.
This 4 lane highway as ‘they’ proposed shows little or no justification at this time. Was there not a proposal to relocate the airport to somewhere in St. Catherine? My take – pork, pork and more pork.
FOR SURE THIS IS A WASTE OF MONEY.WHY NOT FIX OTHER ROADS THAT ARE IN A DEPLORABLE CONDITION.WILL IT MAKE SENSE.
Best thing to do is to upgrade existing structures such as the hope bridge. Preservation of the environment should take priority and if jobs are the issue, many jobs can be created by building a causeway from airport to downtown and drive the rehabilitation of buildings downtown
The only people in the world that know how to solve this type of problem are the Dutch – why aren’t we asking them for advise and assistance? The plan as it stands is too ludicrous for words!
By the way, what can anyone do to satisfy everyone, or to satisfy all Jamaicans? Palisadoes Road is a DISGRACE for years and years. A government came in power and decided to give it a NEW look, and better conveniences for all the users. WHY COMLAIN? You would feel much better to leave it just as it is, and when the HURRICANE came, no one can leave or go to the airport, and billions of dollars to repair it all over again.
Rebuilding the road, will be creating jobs, jobs, jobs for the people of Jamaica, and conveniences that they have never seen so wonderful before.. STOP your nightmare criticism, congratulate the government of Jamaica, and the business people who bring their money in to invest for the benefit of hundreds or thousands of Jamaicans. Too bad many of you are such dummies.
The money to build the proposed 4 lane highway to link harbour view to the airport could be better spent to build a ring road (elevated or otherwise) around the city. The route could be from say Manor Park to Papine to Harbour View then westwards to DownTown unto Three miles to HWt and back to Manor Park. The route could be more stream lined , but the intention is to relieve the traffic congestion in the city.
Comments any one
How much time do we need to study the need to have a some what proper access road to the airport, why dont Mr, yap come up with his bright ideas ?? which he should have been studying, where there is no vision the people perish , I personally fear every time I have to cross the present road conditions coming or going to the airport, Only God know’s what is below the thin and narrow surface there, let the Chinese work there wonders , my only concern this, this road should be raised to at least 10ft,, we have all the materials from any of the hills near by to raised to this level,the cenent company is down the road, I have seen the chinese literally move mountains in China, give them the JOB it’s there money after all
How much time do we need to study the need to have a some what proper access road to the airport, why dont Mr, yap come up with his bright ideas ?? which he should have been studying, where there is no vision the people perish , I personally fear every time I have to cross the present road conditions coming or going to the airport, Only God know’s what is below the thin and narrow surface there, let the Chinese work there wonders , my only concern is, this road should be raised to at least 10ft,, we have all the materials from any of the hills near by to do so ,the cement company is down the road, I have seen the chinese literally move mountains in China, give them the JOB it’s there money after all
Maybe a four-lane road is a bit much. But something needs to be done to allow more reliable access to the airport and Port Royal. We cannot have access to Port royal and the airport denied every time there is a storm.
The thing I believe is greatly overlooked is that the Palisados penincular is not simply a roadway to the airport or Port Royal. Without it there will be no Kingston harbor and the open sea will at the door step of Portmore and Harbor Street downtown kingston. It would be wiser to build 2 lanes and use the other (half) of the funds to widen and strengthen the peninsular.
They really need to reconsider this plan… and to decide to do this without a proper EIA is really crazy.. Traffic on Palisadeos??.. When…Its time for the government to stop wasting limited resources… spend the money on protection of the remaining beach and a long term solution to its replenishment is called for.
I am alarmed that citizens do not get to have their concerns noted in projects of this nature that will be affecting us all. Somebody tell us what we can do as a nation to put an end to this blatant diregard for what is right.
When I heard the news, I said to my spouse “four lane, we don’t need that as to the best of my knowledge, there is no traffic on that particular stretch of roadway”. I think we should continue with the two lane and use the rest of the funds to fix other roads in desperate nee of repairs.
hi greeting .i lust think that the amount of money that the airport highway will take to get the job done.that same amount could funish a new airport.idon’t believe in that road to the airport.when you build the sea will come back to is course.they are places in jamaica where you can make the airport.you will just waste money on that road