Managing Director of National Road Operating & Constructing Company Limited (NROCC) Mr. Stephen Edwards, says the recently opened May Pen to Williamsfield Highway did not receive any reports of flooding and that its drainage system is good.

Concerns about the drainage system came into question following the recent weather system, Tropical Cyclone 22, which affected the island between November 16 and 17, 2023. It triggered a tropical storm watch and flash flood warnings for flood-prone and low-lying areas of Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, St Catherine, Kingston, St Andrew, St Thomas, Portland, and St Mary. 

The May Pen to Williamsfield Highway traverses the parishes of Clarendon and Manchester and with that understanding, Mr. Edwards in a statement on Wednesday said “Projects team closely monitored the Highway and surrounding communities during and after the storm to ensure that if challenges occurred a prompt response could be actioned.”

He noted that “Major drainage designs were done for a 100-year return period for the worst-case scenario. Additionally, during the project planning phase, the team engaged stakeholders in the communities along the alignment to get the best understanding of flooding characteristics along the corridor to inform the design team and contractor. This information was incorporated into the technical drainage design. It therefore comes as no surprise we have not received any reports of flooding related to the highway.”