MANDEVILLE, Manchester — For the next few weeks motorists will continue to utilise the May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000 toll free until the implementation of charges some time in October.

Stephen Edwards, managing director at National Road Operating & Constructing Company (NROCC) — which is responsible for overseeing the design, construction and maintenance of Jamaica’s highways — said NROCC plans to yield control of the road next month.

“We expect the handover to take place in October 2025,” he told the Jamaica Observer via email on Saturday.

Edwards was responding to a question posed by the Observer regarding the planned toll implementation, following reports of vandalism and cattle straying onto the high-speed road over the weekend.

NROCC in a statement said vandalism of a fence resulted in cattle straying onto a section of the highway Friday night and into the wee hours of Saturday.

The incident happened a day before the two-year anniversary of the opening of that leg of the highway. The highway was officially opened on September 14, 2023, with several missed timelines for toll implementation.

NROCC’s statement issued on Saturday afternoon came hours after the Observer reported that danger still lurks, with cattle straying onto the high-speed road.

This as a woman had to be rushed to hospital early Saturday morning after cattle strayed onto the highway shortly after midnight, causing extensive damage to two vehicles, namely a Toyota Axio and a Toyota Tacoma, and injuring occupants.

NROCC, in its statement released mid-afternoon on Saturday, said preliminary investigations indicate that the accident was caused by criminals cutting the right-of-way fencing, while likely carrying out acts of praedial larceny.

“When persons cut the fencing to steal livestock from farms adjacent to the roadway, the fencing is left compromised, allowing cattle to wander onto the road. This kind of criminal activity poses a serious safety risk to motorists,” the statement read in part.

NROCC said it has already repaired the damage that was done to the right-of-way fencing.

“Additionally, NROCC will continue to work closely with the police to mitigate against further acts of vandalism and praedial larceny. The road is open for motorists to continue travelling between May Pen and Williamsfield,” the statement read in part.

NROCC is urging members of the public to report any suspicious activities near the right-of-way fencing.

Last November, the Business Observer reported that NROCC has been managing phase 1C of Highway 2000 from May Pen, Clarendon to Williamsfield, Manchester, as NROCC and TransJamaican Highway (TJH) Limited continue to hammer out a concession agreement.

The November 20, 2024 article said NROCC has been managing the Williamsfield leg of the highway since it opened to the public in September 2023. NROCC was given approval in July 2024 to accept TJH’s offer of US$20.30 million ($3.16 billion) to be granted the right to operate and maintain phase 1C of Highway 2000 until November 20, 2036.

The mangled Toyota Axio motor car involved in the crash resulting from hitting cattle on the May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000 on Saturday. Kasey Williams

EDWARDS… we expect the handover to take place in October 2025 NROCC