North/South Leg of Highway 2000 to be Completed Early 2016

Construction of the North/South leg of Highway 2000 is scheduled to be completed by the first quarter of 2016.

Minister of Transport, Works and Housing, Dr. the Hon. Omar Davies, made the disclosure during his contribution to the 2015/16 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, April 21.

The Highway is being constructed by China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), at a cost in excess of US$600 million.

“Section Two of the Highway (Linstead to Moneague) was opened in August of last year. Already, it has radically changed travel patterns between the two urban centres and has made the overall journey between Kingston and the North Coast not only shorter, but of more predictable duration,” Dr. Davies said.

He noted that the two remaining sections, Ferry to Linstead and Moneague to Drax Hall, are more than two-thirds complete.

“The completion of this highway will open up possibilities for new developments in a range of sectors which could not have been contemplated a few years ago. The possibilities are almost limitless with prospects for new housing developments, which will ease the rural/urban drift, as persons can comfortably live in the centre of the island, whilst working on either the North Coast or in the Kingston to Spanish Town region,” Dr. Davies said.

He also noted that the completed Highway will open up possibilities for the spread of the tourism product.

“The long-standing vision of Kingston developing as a centre for tourism can become a reality. For example, Cruise ship passengers arriving at Ocho Rios can easily schedule   a visit to the historical and cultural sites of Spanish Town and Kingston in their programme. Similarly, tourists whose destination is the Ocho Rios area will now have the option of either landing in Montego Bay or Kingston, as the journey from the Norman Manley International Airport will now be shorter than that from Montego Bay,” the Minister pointed out.

In addition, Dr. Davies said as part of the Concession Agreement with the developers of the North/South link, CHEC, the Government of Jamaica is obliged to provide them with approximately 1,200 acres of land contiguous to the highway for development.

“CHEC has already placed before us their plans for the development of the lands which they will receive. The proposed developments include, in the first instance, the construction of three hotels with nearly 2,400 rooms as well as nearly 600 housing units,” the Minister said.

The expenditure on the Highway and the associated developments will be  in excess of US $1 billion, Dr. Davies informed.