THE government yesterday announced that motorists will begin paying toll on the first segment of Highway 2000 in mid-September, and named Dunbar McFarlane, the former CEO of National Commercial Bank, as the island’s first Toll Regulator.

Initially it will cost a maximum of $55 for cars and $165 for large buses and trucks to traverse the 13 kilometres of road between Bushy Park, St Catherine and Sandy Bay in Clarendon.

McFarlane’s job will primarily be the oversight of toll road operators in Jamaica — in the same manner of the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) for the utilities — including making recommendations on the prices they can charge for vehicles using their roads.

In addition to McFarlane’s post, the transport and works minister, Robert Pickersgill, also named a 10-member Toll Authority, chaired by former WIDALCO alumina refinery CEO, Patrick McIntosh.

The authority has a broader mandate than the Toll Regulator, including:

* regulating the operations of and maintenance of toll roads and such other facilities as may be deemed necessary on or adjacent to toll roads;

* monitoring compliance of concessionaires with the terms and conditions of concession agreements; and

* advising the minister on matters of general policy relating to the design, construction, safety, regulation, operation and maintenance of toll roads in Jamaica.

Highway 2000 is an ambitious plan for a 230-kilometre expressway between Kingston and Montego Bay, with a spur to Ocho Rios, aimed at significantly slashing the travel time between Jamaica’s commercial and tourism capital, but with the added benefit of opening up to south and central parts of the island.

The road is being developed by the French construction company, Bouygues.

What is being launched next month, though, is the first segment of the first phase that, eventually, will run for 74 kilometres to Williamsfield in Manchester and include a new causeway over the Kingston Harbour linking the capital and the community of Portmore. This phase, to be completed in another 14 months, will cost approximately US$400 million.

“We have scheduled the commissioning, that is the start of toll operations on the initial segment — Bushy Park to Sandy Bay — for Monday, September 15, 2003,” Pickersgill said at a press conference yesterday.

“The toll booths have been erected and staff has been undergoing training as operators for close to one month,” he added.

Part of the segment to be tolled from next month was originally the Old Harbour by-pass that was developed by the government and opened last year. Bouygues built a parallel road and added infrastructure.

Kingsley Thomas, chairman of the National Road Operating Constructing Company (NROCC) — the government agency that facilitated the development of Highway 2000 including raising US$107 million on the local market for on-lending to the concessionaires — said that people using the toll road will be able to by cash or smart cards.

He said that the private sector operators of the island’s first toll road system are Jamaica Infrastructure Operations, a joint- venture company owned by the Highway 2000 builders, French construction company, Bouygues, and the French toll road operators, AFS Limited.

Thomas said that the highway will be equipped with surveillance cameras as well as have a police station in the vicinity of the Bushy Park exchange with dedicated police vehicles to patrol the highway.

Maximum initial toll fees:

Vehicle category Description

Class 1 Less than 5.5 metres long and and two metres high and motorised two and three-wheeled vehicles, which includes motor cars, small sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and motorcycles. $55.00

Class 2 More than 5.5 metres long or more than two metres high, which

includes large SUVs, some pickup trucks and mini- buses. $110.00

Class 3 More than 5.5 metres long and more than two metres high, which includes large buses, trucks and trailers.$165.00

Members of the Toll Authority:

Patrick McIntosh – Chairman, former CEO of WINDALCO

Dr David Smith – Engineer, representing Jamaica Institute of Engineers

Mrs Tracey Deans – Architect, representing Jamaica Institute of Architects

Junior Levine – Chartered Accountant

Paula Fletcher – Representing the National Road Safety Council

Don Mullings – President, Incorporated Masterbuilders Association

Joyce Campbell – Representing the National Consumers League

Dr Alwin Hales – Permanent Secretary, Min of Transport & Works

Nicole Burgher – Attorney-at-Law, Ministry of Transport & Works

Ivan Anderson – CEO, National Works Agency – ex-officio member