TransJamaican Highway Limited (TJH) says it will soon begin construction of the first gas station on a Jamaican highway.

According to TJH Managing Director Guillaume Allain, work will begin within a matter of weeks near Old Harbour, as soon as the last authorisation has been obtained.

“It reflects a $200-million investment by our partners, which will in turn create more than 20 sustainable jobs within the community,” a news release from TJH’s publicists quotes Allain. “We are proud to introduce another quality convenience to our highway clients, with the addition at the Old Harbour east-bound on-ramp.”

The company, which built the east-west leg of Highway 2000, also revealed that its partners are expected to develop a second service station in Portmore.

According to TJH, the service station supports its long-standing commitment to bring the east-west le of Highway to the highest standards of technical excellence and customer satisfaction.

The news release stated that in June this year TJH was awarded the ISO Quality Management System certification (9001:2015), demonstrating growing recognition of its quality policy.

“This quality commitment goes in hand with strong and sustainable investment in Jamaica from TJH’s French shareholders, Bouygues — the parent company for TJH — and VINCI. Both world-class contractors, the French companies share a historic presence in Jamaica and have been delivering high-scale projects such as the first legs of Highway 2000 for Bouygues, and the recently completed dredging by VINCI of the Kingston Harbour,” the release stated.

“Over the years, Bouygues and VINCI had both the opportunity to develop their confidence in the local workforce, and have always proven their will to involve a very high rate of local employees, local contractors, and local equipment suppliers, actively building their capacity. And this was always done in maintaining a world-class construction quality,” the release quotes Allain.

The company said that as it approaches its 17th year of operation in Jamaica, it hopes to continue delivering top-quality transportation infrastructure, which is shaping the country’s future.

“We are confirming that we want to play an important role in the future of Jamaica. We have worked here for a long time and, at all times since the inception of Highway 2000, had a constructive relationship with the Government of Jamaica,” Allain said.

He also confirmed that a 27-km extension of the Highway 2000 east-west leg from May Pen in Clarendon to Williamsfield in Manchester, also called Phase 1C, is under discussion between TJH and the Government.