Building a Better Jamaica

Thursday, April 01, 2010
Jamaica Observer

THE 2010/11 budget includes the provision of $166-million for the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Weight Limit Enforcement Programme in the Ministry of Transport and Works.

The money is to be used to start construction of three weigh stations; complete the Harbour Head Weigh Station; and substantially complete the other two weigh stations, as well as complete all programmed platforms for the portable weigh scales.

Designs have already been completed for one weigh station, and design for the other two started, while the procurement process for four fixed weigh scales and two portable scales has also been completed.

Overall, three modern fixed weigh stations are to be installed at Harbour Head in Kingston, as well as in Trelawny and St Mary. They are to be supported by weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology, some of which will be directly linked to the National Works Agency's (NWA) management centre.

WIM devices capture and record vehicle/truck axle weights and gross vehicle weights as they drive over a sensor, thereby not requiring the subject trucks to stop, making the system much more efficient than older, static weigh stations.

The programme seeks to address the problem of damage to the country's roads caused by overloading of vehicles, particularly trucks, and to improve safety along roadways. It is a sub-project of the ministry's road traffic and safety programme.