LUCEA, Hanover — Minister with responsibility for works Robert Morgan has reiterated that plans are in place to address the deteriorating road infrastructure across western Jamaica.

“There’s a greater plan for this corridor, starting from Montego Bay, going all the way to Sav (Savanna-la-Mar), including Green Island, and from Savanna-la-Mar all the way to Black River, which Prime Minister [Dr Andrew Holness] will announce later,” said Morgan.

The minister was responding to queries from the Jamaica Observer during a tour of Hanover, regarding the frequent repairs carried out by the National Works Agency (NWA) along the road network in that parish and the neighbouring Westmoreland.

Morgan acknowledged the issue and stated that “the reason for that is that this section of the [road] has not been repaired for many years and is at end-of-life”.

“As such, in some cases, we are just ripping up and overlaying. In other cases, like here in Lucea, we are not just ripping up, but we are putting in new pipes, new sidewalks, improving the drainage system, and laying concrete — because concrete is the only material that can withstand the sea water here,” explained Morgan as he pointed to the Seaview Drive roadway rehabilitation project as a key example.

He pointed out that the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to Road Network (SPARK) programme, will initially invest $2.5 billion into five critical roads between Great River and Negril.

According to Morgan, that project is not driven solely by tourism interests.

“Yes, tourism is a major foreign exchange earner for us, but most importantly, this is for the people who live here — the people who have to commute every day to go to school, work, and conduct business. That’s why we are doing this,” declared Morgan.

During the tour, Morgan urged residents, motorists, and tourism stakeholders to remain patient as rehabilitation work gets under way along Seaview Drive in Lucea. The thoroughfare serves as a vital arterial route into Lucea and a major connector for commuters travelling between Montego Bay and Negril, facilitating an estimated 15,000 vehicles daily.

The deteriorating roadway, which has undergone multiple temporary fixes in recent years, has been severely compromised by inadequate drainage, rising sea levels, and coastal erosion caused by Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.

Morgan said that corridor — a key segment of the primary North Coast Highway — has proven very challenging and has caused significant inconvenience to residents and business operators alike.

Vehicles navigating flooded potholes on Seaview Drive in Lucea recently. Photo: Anthony Lewis

“The Government made the decision a while back to repair it, and we were initially going to use a $30-million allocation to concrete it. However, after assessing the extent of the challenge, we decided to incorporate it under the SPARK programme,” explained Morgan.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Hanover Eastern, the People’s National Party’s Andrea Purkiss, who serves as the opposition spokesperson on tourism, welcomed the move which she said will bring much-needed relief to both hoteliers and residents.

“Our tourists are travelling not just to the airport, but back and forth on excursions using this road. So I am very pleased that the minister is here to assist us,” Purkiss said, expressing satisfaction that the Government allocated additional funds to ensure a comprehensive repair.

She was supported by colleague MP for Hanover Western Heatha Miller-Bennett, who pointed out to Morgan the critical need to fix alternative routes to be used while work takes Seaview Drive.

“When one road is closed, you don’t want a gridlock happening elsewhere,” said Miller-Bennett as she noted that while work has started on Old Road, repairs have yet to start on other alternative routes such as East Avenue, and West Avenue.

Morgan assured that a comprehensive traffic management plan was established before the start of construction.

“We understand what is required and the severe impact that improper execution would have on the residents of Lucea, Hanover; Westmoreland; St James; surrounding parishes; and local businesses,” Morgan said.

“This is why the alternative routes are critical. I have instructed China Harbour Engineering Company Limited, the main contractor, to ensure that the alternative routes are properly prepared and that traffic direction is managed effectively,” he added.

Reinforcing the commitment to keep traffic moving, Morgan said that efforts will be made to minimise daytime disruptions to the traffic flow.

“A lot of the work on this road will be done at night when traffic volume is significantly lower. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for someone missing their flight at Sangster International Airport due to roadwork traffic. So we are actively managing this…looking at all alternatives, and wherever it is necessary to upgrade alternate routes, we will do so,” declared Morgan.