MONTEGO BAY, St James — With the December 15 start to the winter tourist season looming, Round Hill Hotel and Villas is exploring an unconventional approach to minimise the impact traffic snarls — created by much-needed infrastructural work — has on its guests. The proposed plan is to shorten their trip to Sangster International Airport by having a part of the journey done by sea.

“We have approached our water sports operator who has Tryall & Round Hill’s concession. The possibility is to transfer from our piers to Pier 1,” Round Hill Managing Director Josef Forstmayr told the Jamaica Observer.

Located on a 110-acre private peninsula in Hopewell, Hanover, Round Hill — a five-star luxury resort — is about 19 km from the airport. In comparison Pier 1 — a popular seafood restaurant, bar and entertainment centre in the heart of Montego Bay — is about 4 km from the airport.

Forstmayr said the ongoing roadwork has become increasingly problematic, with severe traffic congestion affecting travel times.

“It is impacting all of us in the west, Jamaicans and visitors. It seems uncoordinated, complete mayhem and will add at least one hour to a 20-minute drive to Montego Bay from Hopewell. Unacceptable!” he told the Observer.

“I have spoken to senior staff at the National Works Agency to have better coordination and supervision of these roadworks,” he added.

Getting to and from Round Hill in a timely manner is being impacted by rehabilitation work now under way along the Reading to Great River corridor, spanning sections of St James and Hanover, as part of the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) Main Road Programme.

The $400-million project involves five kilometres of road rehabilitation, including base strengthening, shoulder improvements, drainage preparation and the laying of a new asphalt surface. Taking guests by water will spare them the traffic delays in this area.

For commuters approaching the airport from the hotel-heavy Rose Hall stretch in St James, they have to contend with single lane traffic in some areas as work continues on the $425-million Western Water Resilience Improvement Project. There is also work being done to connect the Montego Bay Bypass Road to the North Coast Highway, part of the larger $354-million Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project.

Vice-president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association and Montego Bay Chapter Chair Kerry Ann Quallo Casserly has consistently called for traffic snarls to be addressed ahead of the approaching winter tourist season.

“We are asking them to speed up the process, given the increase in traffic with what is involved in the moving of visitors throughout those sections of the parish,” she told the Observer.

Quallo Casserly suggested that, where possible, work should be done at night to accelerate progress. Acknowledging the importance of the projects, she remains hopeful that the work can be completed before next month.

Asked for an update on the roadworks, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with responsibility for works Robert Morgan assured that the National Road Operating and Construction Company (NROCC) is aware of the issues involved.

“The entire projects team at NROCC is pushing for an opening of the Montego Bay Bypass before the winter tourism season. Details will be communicated as soon as they are available,” said Morgan.

A traffic snarl due to ongoing infrastructure work on the hotel-heavy Rose Hall thoroughfare in St James.