Work on Morant Bay to Port Antonio Highway to Begin Soon

Work on the Morant Bay to Port Antonio leg of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project is slated to begin soon, says Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz.

The US$384-million Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project entails rehabilitation of the 110-kilometre roadway between Harbour View in Kingston and Port Antonio in Portland, and extension of the tolled East-West Highway, which will run from May Pen, Clarendon, to Williamsfield, Manchester.

Speaking at today’s (September 12) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Mr. Vaz said “we are looking to start three of 15 packages for the local segments, which will start the improvements from Morant Bay to Port Antonio”.

Mr. Vaz said the works will be carried out on 6.72 kilometres from the Yallahs Bridge to Lowden, St. Thomas, at a cost of approximately US$5 million; 4.9 kilometres from Lowden Hill to Pomfret,

St. Thomas, valued at approximately US$3 million; and 9.52 kilometres from Drapers to Port Antonio, valued at approximately US$5.2 million.

“This was approved at Cabinet on Monday (September 10), and now it will be for the procurement process to go through to name the contractors, and I would expect the work to start in the next few months,” he said.

Mr. Vaz said additional details will be provided through the National Works Agency (NWA), as the process continues.

“We are now one step further in terms of being able to break ground, and I can categorically state that this will be done in the 2018/19 fiscal year, which ends March next year. So, between the end of this year and January, I would expect that roadwork will start on segments and that will continue into the ‘19/20 financial year,” he said.

The Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project will entail realignment and widening of the roadway to four lanes, among other features, which will require land acquisition along the designated sections.

The project is being financed through a loan agreement with the China EX-IM Bank. It will be executed by China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC).