Mark Myers, president of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, has called for a revamping of standards for road construction. - File

Having criticised the poor standard of work that has led to the erosion of the infrastructure after three weeks of rain, Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) president Mark Myers said on Tuesday that the new administration must get the repair job right.

"Many roads in the Corporate Area alone are now riddled with craters, making driving a nightmare," said Myers in a statement on behalf of JCC.

"It is a recurring problem whenever there are heavy rains. This brings into serious question the quality of workmanship and the specifications related to road construction over the years."

Myers also called for the revival of the plan to establish weigh-stations and the monitoring of over-loaded trucks, saying heavy- duty vehicles should be forced to comply and appropriately fined to finance repairs for the damage they cause.

The chamber is insistent that drainage be properly constructed, that the road base be appropriately thick to withstand the volume of traffic on specific roads, saying, "a few layers of marl prior to surfacing is not good enough."

Problematic areas

Myers specifically noted the problematic Marcus Garvey Drive that is both conduit for traffic to dormitory communities in neighbouring St. Catherine, as well as the operating base for various industries and manufacturers.

The road, which connects downtown Kingston to Three Miles, via the waterfront, was built on swamp lands and "will continue to be a problem until properly engineered," said Myers.

"The building of a house cannot proceed without a proper foundation and so it must be with roads."

business@gleanerjm.com

JCC formula for good roads:

Drainage

We would expect the road to be cambered or sloped in such a way that water would be channelled to the side with appropriate culverts and drains.

Road Base

This must be fundamental to the design. The sub-grade conditions and the expected loading from vehicular traffic should determine the thickness.

Surface

It follows that having put in the appropriate drainage and having laid the proper foundation then it would be defeating the purpose if we chose to economise with too thin a surface. The quality of asphalt used and the mix with aggregate must be carefully monitored to ensure conformity with predetermined specifications.