KINGSTON, Jamaica — Work to expand the Harbour View, St Andrew to Yallahs, St Thomas roadway to four lanes, is to begin this fiscal year under the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project.

A sum of $8.42 billion has been set aside in the 2019/20 Estimates of Expenditure to undertake, among other activities, the reconstruction of this 17.4-kilometre stretch of road and achieve seven per cent completion.

Construction is also expected to begin on the Yallahs Bridge to Port Antonio segment and achieve 32 per cent completion, the Morant Bay to Cedar Valley roadway and achieve 30 per cent completion, and commence construction on the May Pen to Williamsfield section and achieve 14 per cent completion.

Up to December 2018, under the project, payments were made for consulting services and conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA); surveying and valuation of land parcels were conducted along road sections — Harbour View to Port Antonio, Morant Bay to Cedar Valley and May Pen to Williamsfield.

In addition, negotiations were completed and a contract signed between the Government and China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC); and environmental permits were received for all segments of the programmed works.

The project, which got under way in 2017, seeks to improve the alignment and capacity of the existing southern coastal main arterial road in order that it will be safe and efficient, free from flooding and provide for future development.

It is being implemented by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation through funding by the Government of Jamaica and the China Exim Bank. The project is slated to end in January 2020.