New Eastern Coastal Highway, linking Harbour View to Portland, Jamaica

The Government has announced a planned highway linking Harbour View from the Round About to Morant Bay in phase one 43 KM and in phase 2 Morant Bay to Port Antonio in the East of the island 63 KM. Total distance when completed about 106 KM.

This is the first major highway for this end of the island and should boost tourism and trade. The construction is scheduled to take four years is to cost 385 mil Jamaican dollars.

Construction will be undertaken by Chinese (Chec).

Design

Some 16 bridges, one fly over, and a tunnel will be built ….. there will also be land acquisitions to get access as planned. It is not known when construction will start but it is funded by Chinese Development Bank. Land swap was a feature of a previous highway deal. Details of this arrangement is not clear. The Information Minister disclosed that “it (Easter Coastal Highway) will not cost Jamaicans a dollar to be built”

Toll

It was not clear if it is a toll road.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie, SIC, for Vision Newspaper Canada.