KINGSTON, Jamaica–The Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP) is scheduled to be completed by March 2027, bolstered by a $2.5-billion allocation in the upcoming 2025/26 fiscal year.

Details are outlined in the Estimates of Expenditure, recently tabled in the House of Representatives by Finance and the Public Service Minister Fayval Williams.

The breakdown of the projected $2.5-billion-spend involves $125 million for goods and services, $475 million for land acquisition, and $1.9 billion for fixed assets (capital goods).

The objective of the project is to improve the alignment and capacity of the existing southern coastal main arterial road to make it safe and efficient, free from flooding and provide for future development.

So far, Part A, from May Pen to Williamsfield, has been completed, while much of the construction work under Part B has been done, apart from the Yallahs Bridge to Port Antonio section, which is at 95 per cent completion.

Part B involves the segments from Harbour View to Albion and Yallahs Bridge, Yallahs Bridge to Port Antonio, and Morant Bay to Cedar Valley.

The funds earmarked for the upcoming fiscal year will be directed towards undertaking waterline and road works, as well as conclude outstanding land acquisition, and relocating outstanding Jamaica Public Service (JPS) poles.

The SCHIP aims to improve the main road spanning 16 kilometres from Harbour View to Yallahs Bridge, involving the construction of four lanes with shoulders from Harbour View to Albion, and 1.35 kilometres of two lanes with shoulders from Albion to Yallahs Bridge.

It also involves rehabilitation of 93 kilometres of the main road from Yallahs Bridge to Port Antonio, as well as the refurbishing of 27.5 kilometres of main road from Morant Bay to Cedar Valley.

The initiative also encompasses land acquisition, relocation of utility installations, and the construction of the May Pen to Williamsfield section of Highway 2000.

-JIS