It will cost taxpayers around $25 billion to execute the next phase of the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) project.Amid growing discontent over the state of the island’s road network, the Government, yesterday, launched the main road component of the SPARK programme.The transition into SPARK’s next phase follows the initial iteration, which is still ongoing and focuses on community roads.Under this phase, 37 main roads are earmarked for significant overhaul, but both Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness and Robert Morgan, minister with responsibility for works, insisted that the move was not a response to growing protests and public discontent.The main roads phase addresses critical arterial routes across 11 parishes and will include bridges and gullies along those thoroughfares.The phase will also include six major roads in St Andrew: Molynes Road (Half-Way Tree to Washington Boulevard), Seaward Drive to Olympic Way, Red Hills Road (Perkins Boulevard to Swain Spring Road), Stony Hill Road to Golden Spring, Cooperidge to Gordon Town to Mavis Bank Road, and Oxford Road.Among the major roads in St James and Hanover, focus is being placed on the North Coast Highway and sections connecting Montego Bay to Lucea, and in St Ann and St Mary, major rehabilitation is slated for the corridors linking Ocho Rios to Port Maria.In Clarendon and Manchester, arterial routes leading into May Pen and Mandeville are being prioritised, including Spalding to Cave Valley and Greenvale to Spur Tree.Nine major roads in St Catherine, including the Spanish Town Bypass (Twickenham Park to Old Harbour Round-a-bout to Brunswick), are on the list for rehabilitation.Speaking at Jamaica House during the launch, Morgan noted that the roads selected serve a high volume of commuters daily.“For the first time in Jamaica’s history, more than 300 community roads and 37 main road projects have been identified and presented publicly as priority roads for rehabilitation. In addition, two major grade-separated interventions will address critical congestion points in the Corporate Area.”With concerns that after millions are spent the roads quickly fall into disrepair, the works minister stressed that accountability would form a crucial part of the programme’s continued execution.“Where the foundation has failed, it must be corrected
