MONTEGO BAY, St James — Five thousand fewer cars on the streets of Montego Bay per day and new opportunities for property development are just some of the benefits Prime Minister Andrew Holness has predicted once the US$274.5-million Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project is completed.

“It is going to open up new opportunities for housing because as we open up these corridors to put in the new road, new lands become accessible, so housing will be — in my view — the next phase of the new investment in St James,” the prime minister told reporters on Monday during a site visit.

He said about 60 per cent of the excavation work has been completed so far.

“I’m confident that when this project is finished, when it is all complete, the city of Montego Bay will enter a new phase of its development. I want you to stop for a moment and think of what it would mean to have 5,000 less cars daily congesting the city of Montego Bay,” he added.

According to Holness, work will also include construction of an impressive bridge at Sign Irwin.

“Work has now begun. Behind me you are seeing the steel members being fabricated here, to be put in the piles which will form the foundation of possibly the longest bridge to be constructed in Jamaica,” he said.

He also spoke of the quality of the work being done.

“I’m seeing already on the drawing several interchanges that will be put in place, in addition to significant drainage, culverts, and other supporting civil infrastructure to make sure that the road will last for a very long time,” said Holness.

The perimeter road will connect Ironshore in the east to the Bogue road in the west, circumventing the city by passing through areas such as Salt Spring and Cornwall Courts. A 15-kilometre, four-lane arterial toll road will be complemented by a 10.5-kilometre bypass of the Long Hill route, where there have been many traffic mishaps over the years.

“The bypass road is not just the area that will be tolled that is going around Montego Bay but [also] the Long Hill bypass which effectively now connects Montego Bay to Savanna-la-Mar. That’s impactful,” said Holness.

“Think of what it means when our visitors can land at Sangster International Airport, get on a bus, and bypass the traffic of Montego Bay and head to their destination in a much more relaxed and comfortable route,” he added.

The prime minster also gave assurance that care would be taken to protect the environment as the development is being pursued. He said that while some “previously untouched areas” will be used for the project, steps have been taken to protect the wildlife and items of cultural significance.

“We have taken great care not to disturb bird sanctuaries, and if we come up on any artefacts or anything like that we have to protect those,” the prime minister outlined.

“The contractors and engineers are aware of the importance of preserving our environmental and historical assets and so great effort was made in ensuring that that was done,” he added.

The Government contracted China Harbour Engineering Company Limited to design and carry out the Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project. The executing agency is National Road Operating and Constructing Company Limited. Work will also include a comprehensive drainage study of the bypass area.

On Monday, Holness also highlighted the importance of the working environment, which he believes will serve as a model for other major planned developments.

“It is important because we are going to be seeing several of these projects right across Jamaica; and we see where [if we] don’t have a good pool of labour that is harmoniously structured and led, it can have an impact on the delivery of the project,” he noted.

“So what I’m seeing here, I’m fairly satisfied that we have a very good cadre of workers who seem to be very committed,” said the prime minister.

Work began on the project in April 2019. Last September, National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang, who is also Member of Parliament for St James North Western, told the Observer work is expected to be completed in 2025.