Plans are advanced to extend the North-South Toll Road, which will begin with a clover-leaf interchange at Mammee Bay in St Ann, extending westward to Discovery Bay (Phase 1A) and eastward to Prospect, St Mary (Phase 1B).

The project is estimated to cost approximately US$350 million (J$52.5 billion).

Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the announcement Thursday during his contribution to the 2025/26 Budget Debate at Gordon House.

“Given the urgency of the development and the dislocation risks involved in upgrading the existing roadway, the Government of Jamaica will take steps to designate the North-South Highway Extension as a National Development Project,” the prime minister said.

Pointing out that Jamaica’s north coast is booming, Holness noted that the Mammee Bay area has emerged as a new urban corridor between Ocho Rios and St Ann’s Bay.

“It is also a critical tourism corridor, and in recent times it has become an area for residential communities. Effectively the corridor, which is supposed to be part of the North Coast Highway, is now serving as the main boulevard of a town, with several ingress and egress from local roads,” he highlighted.

The prime minister also pointed out that the corridor now handles traffic coming to and from the North-South toll road, traffic moving between Ocho Rios and St. Ann’s Bay, and local traffic moving within the various businesses and residences along the corridor.

“This has created a significant traffic hazard for residents and commuters, which will stifle the natural development energy of this area. This situation would be further complicated if we should proceed to widen and improve the existing roadway without having an alternative in place as there are no other viable alternatives,” he said.

Meanwhile, the prime minister said the Angels Toll Plaza which is one of the busiest on tolled road network, will be upgraded with the addition of three lanes.

“A longer-term more transformative change will be the introduction of open road tolling, a state-of-the-art system that allows vehicles to be charged electronically without having to stop at a toll booth. This system is widely used across the world and has proven to be faster, more efficient, and more convenient,” said Holness.

He said the Montego Bay Perimeter Road which is now 55 per cent completed will serve as the pilot project for this initiative.