MONTEGO BAY, St James

MINISTER of Transport, Works and Housing Dr Omar Davies has committed to have feasibility studies conducted for the construction of a Montego Bay bypass road that is being clamoured for by business interests due to the onerous traffic situation in the resort city.

“I have committed to have the matter studied so we can have some actual numbers to carry the technical analysis forward. For example, what would be the projected traffic flow, what would be the geo-technical work, which would need to be done; so I have committed to doing that, so we can take the discussions further,” Dr Davies told the Jamaica Observer West following a meeting with members of the Montego Bay business sector at the Iberostar Hotel in Rose Hall last weekend.

“I met with various business interests in the Montego Bay area who outlined the traffic problems facing the city and the possible solutions in terms of developing a road, and they call it a development road as opposed to a bypass, because apart from providing an alternative route it will open up development possibilities for housing and for commercial development,” he said.

Dr Davies explained that one of the reasons for the studies is to come up with a traffic count to determine if it is feasible to have a toll road.

“That is why we need to examine what is the traffic count because toll doesn’t make sense unless you have a certain minimum level of traffic flow,” he argued.

Meanwhile, the minister stressed that currently there is not an estimated cost for the proposed Montego Bay “development road”, as financing “has to take place within the context of what would be the cost of construction, land acquisition, etc”.

However, he said he has put on the table, the possibility of a private sector partnership with Government for construction of the road.

“What I have sought to do with all major infrastructure developments since I have become minister is wherever possible seek to get private investors involved so that is something I raised for the possibility of us attracting a private involvement whether it be domestic or foreign direct investment,” Dr Davies explained.

Meanwhile, the Montego Bay stakeholders who met with the minister to discuss the possibility of a bypass, say they were heartened at the outcome of the meeting.

Convener of the meeting Senator Noel Sloley noted that the proposed road “is going to relieve the traffic in downtown Montego Bay and connect through to Falmouth. So trucks coming through, buses or traffic that don’t have to go down to Montego Bay, onto the Howard Cooke, would take this [bypass] and end up out in Falmouth or Florence Hall”.

Mayor of Montego Bay Glendon Harris, who welcomed the meeting, however, acknowledged that the project “wouldn’t be done overnight”.

“We appreciate the minister taking the time out to come and meet us on this. We recognise the development that is happening in Montego Bay and we know what is projected and it couldn’t be more timely,” he added.

In the meantime, Holiday Inn’s operations manager David Lawrence — who is also assistant area chairman for Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Montego Bay region — said there is a need to “free up the tourism centre of traffic congestion”.

“I welcome this initiative,” Lawrence said, “I believe that the Montego Bay tourism area, the Elegant Corridor and the Hip Strip, is already over-trafficked as it is. And with over-traffic comes a lot of ills, not just noise pollution but accidents.”

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Lloyd B Smith, who is also MP for Central St James, expressed similar sentiments.

” I am not just looking at a bypass road, but a development road which in essence will open up the opportunities for housing development, for commercial development, recreational development and indeed maybe even be the creation of a new satellite city,” Smith said.