A Linden-based contractor has been hired and work has commenced to fix several breakages on the highway that occurred due to erosion during recent heavy rainfalls.Though the repairs are deemed temporary, the aim is to avoid any further minor accidents that were caused by the breakage at Kairuni.

Corrective works have also begun at Kara Kara, Linden where the breakaway is in proximity to the Kara Kara creek and on a slope.

Road users have expressed fear that the huge eroded holes in the road might cause a catastrophe if not remedied early.

On Friday, Regional Chairman Renis Morian and a team of councillors from the Public Works Committee were on the highway inspecting the repairs that commenced.

Though some of the breakages are located in Region Four, Morian expressed concerns that many of the road users reside in Region 10.

The Chairman and Councillors of the Regional Democratic Council of Region 10 are calling for better monitoring of the state of the highway.

“The fact that we in Region 10 and they have folks in Region Four, together, once we police, we can keep things going properly,” Morian said.

In 2017, permanent and major works will be done to the Linden/Soesdyke Highway. The hired contractor is expected to do a drive-through of the thoroughfare in an effort to identify all the weak areas and bad spots that need to be corrected.

Morian is also calling for the placement of road signage on the highway so as to notify truck drivers of the dangers and consequences of removing the curbwalls to construct access driveways.

These access driveways, he claims, are causing the destruction of the road.

“Once the curbwall is moved, the water is running down there, there is need for signs on the road saying to truck drivers that they should not break the curb and once they want a driveway, they need to contact the Ministry of Public Infrastructure so that an engineer can come and help them make the driveway and when they are putting stuff on the road to make the drive way, they are redirecting the water that should be running in a particular direction,and that is also causing breakages on the road,” the Regional Chairman said.

He also suggested that truck drivers should be penalised for disobeying the traffic signs.

The Region 10 Road Safety Organisation had recently made a call for logs to be transported by river so as to save the only thoroughfare connecting Region Four to Region 10 and several other interior regions.

Calls were also made by regional officials for the highway to be equipped with lights,since during the night visibility is very limited, especially when the atmosphere is foggy.