Letter of the Day | Peak-hour roadwork makes no sense

THE EDITOR, Sir:
On the afternoon of Wednesday, March 28, I was heading home along the Greenvale Road in Manchester when I came upon a traffic snarl about 400 metres from the Balvenie entrance. A motorist ahead of me spun around and I followed suit. Fortunately, I knew two alternative routes.
When I exited on to the Hatfield main road, I discovered that a road-resurfacing exercise was under way. Roadwork at 5:16 p.m. on a main road at peak hour when we have increased traffic near to the Easter weekend! Traffic was backed up in both directions. We were going home after a hard day at work and we would have liked to reach our destination quickly and safely. Imagine the persons going to Santa Cruz, Lacovia, Black River and farther. There is enough stress going down Spur Tree Hill for us to be in a bottleneck just outside of Mandeville.
And, as I think of it, this is not the first time that roadwork has taken place on the A2 between the Greenvale roundabout and Spur Tree Square at peak hour. This last incident reminds me of roadwork being done in Half-Way Tree at 11 a.m. on Friday some years ago. What is wrong with our heads?  
I know that Stephen Shaw, communication manager of the National Works Agency, has said that often in such circumstances the material arrives late. However, it is my opinion that the amount of gas wasted in traffic does not pan out for the country.
Work at night with protection of soldiers, if need be! 
NORMAN W.M. THOMPSON
Northern Caribbean University
Mandeville, Manchester