JAMAICA Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) Montego Bay Chapter members, who recently converged on the boardroom at the Half Moon Hotel to hear a presentation from representatives of the National Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC), were left a little disappointed when they received no clear timelines for work to be wrapped up on the Montego Bay perimeter road.

While they welcomed the update, they really wanted to know when the long-awaited 15-kilometre MoBay bypass — or even sections of it — would be put into use. The bypass is expected to significantly ease traffic congestion that individuals, including visitors, have to contend with — especially between Montego Bay and Negril.

“Whilst we understand and we see the scope of work, we are still concerned about the timelines,” chapter President Nadine Spence told the Jamaica Observer.

“I have to send them another e-mail to say that they really have to come back as soon as possible to give us some timelines,” she added.

In addition to the MoBay bypass, the perimeter road project also includes the Long Hill bypass, the Barnett Street/West Green Avenue Road rehabilitation, and a comprehensive drainage study of the Montego Bay bypass area.

Spence explained that they have welcomed the development because for years they have been dealing with challenges with traffic pile-ups as individuals try to navigate the city in a bid to get to and from the various attractions, hotels and other areas.

“When a ship comes in the harbour and there is a gridlock in the city for whatever reason; or if they have to catch a flight and we ask the police to escort them, they are afraid, they think something is wrong with the island, some unrest is going on,” she explained.

“We want to alleviate that by having this free flow of traffic, so the timeline is still of concern,” Spence said.

During the meeting some members asked whether use of the bypass could be done in phases; however, the NROCC team indicated that they could not respond in the affirmative at that time.

That is another point Spence is determined to raise in future talks.

“Whether it be phase-by-phase or what, we left there seeing what needs to be done but still perturbed about the timelines,” she said.

According to NROCC Managing Director Stephen Edwards, the project is proceeding smoothly and despite the eagerness about timelines, it is just about where it should be to meet the 2028 completion date.

“We are roughly at 30 per cent completion overall for the project; moving at pace. We planned this project very well, we tried to get a lot of the works done before the rainy season so it’s going very well so far, no major challenges,” he told reporters following the meeting.

He explained that it was important to engage stakeholders, given the importance of what the new route could mean for the local tourism sector.

“They were engaged before the project started and we want to continue the engagement. Now that the construction works are moving very fast, we’ll come down far more often and engage them regularly so that they can have the information so that they can disburse it throughout their membership and their network,” he said.

Work on the Long Hill bypass is slated to begin after completion of the Montego Bay bypass and these two segments make up the bulk of the overall project.

During the meeting, NROCC said it would also be looking at bypasses in the parish of Hanover, in particular for Lucea and Hopewell. That news was welcomed by JHTA members.

“Lucea and Hopewell, this can’t come fast enough. Sometimes people turn back,” Spence said.

That section of road connects the tourism hot spot of Negril to the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay and other areas. There have long been calls for a solution to be found to the traffic congestion that has plagued it.

Prime Minister Andrew Holiness had announced during his budget presentation earlier this year that a 30-kilometre, four-lane bypass would be considered for that area.

Spence said it is important to get that one going as well.

“Even when they finish this phase in Montego Bay, we go through Long Hill and whatever, when you reach Lucea, that problem will still exist,” she argued.

“However, we will still take it because it will still cut out the Montego Bay build up. At least it will alleviate that and even though the Hanover leg will still be there, we know that one of the two will be cauterised,” she remarked.