ST JAMES, Jamaica — Motorists traversing the Dr Horace Chang Boulevard in Montego Bay, to get into Norwood, came upon a new development Friday morning with the opening of a new detour road.

The detour road, proposed as part of the project to implement the new bypass, takes motorists out Ironshore and brings them to the Providence intersection onto Ironshore Drive, and thereafter onto the Dr Horace Chang Boulevard and the reverse.

The change became effective about 11:00am Friday with teams from the contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), putting up barriers to that effect. Team members were also placed at points to guide motorists to the new travel path while the barriers were put in place.

A representative from the National Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC), the implementation agency for the project, told Observer Online that the route from Ironshore to the Dr Horace Chang Boulevard is no longer a through road.

“Going forward that will be the road, to access Norwood, the road from the Providence traffic lights,” he said.

He also said signs are in place but more signs will be put along the corridor to ensure that motorists know that the change has occurred.

The Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project is a major infrastructure development in St James, managed by NROCC and built by CHEC.

The project, aimed at easing severe traffic congestion in Montego Bay, is estimated to cost around US$354 million.