UPDATE: Highway tunnel to facilitate airport runway expansion - Montague

Member of Parliament for Western St Mary, Robert Montague says a tunnel is to be built through which the north coast highway will run to facilitate the expansion of the runway at the Ian Fleming International Airport. The runway expansion will take place above the tunnel. 

Montague says this is part of the $1.9-billion expansion project that was recently announced for the airport based in St Mary.

He says the tunnel construction and runway expansion will take about 18 months to complete.

Already, Montague says at least three regional carriers have applied for permits to land at the newly expanded Ian Fleming airport.

He points out that landing at Ian Fleming will significantly reduce travel time for tourists destined for the eco-tourism hotspots of Portland where a number of new hotel rooms are slated to come on stream shortly.

The Western St Mary MP says the expansion of the airport will allow for increased air traffic and by extension, generate greater employment opportunities through tourism and other commercial activities.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this article incorrectly indicated that the tunnel would be built beneath the highway.)