Montego Bay bypass traffic studies begin

The National Works Agency (NWA) has commenced traffic surveys at several points in St. James in a bid to gather data to be used in the plans for the construction of the proposed Montego Bay Bypass.

According to the Community Relations Officer for the NWA's Western Region, Janel Ricketts, there have been many calls for a bypass of the bustling city centre, due to the traffic congestion.

"As productive sectors increase, it is anticipated that the volume of traffic will continue to grow and compound an already troubling situation," Ricketts said.

"The survey involves traffic counts and interviews with motorists to determine their travel patterns. The areas which are being targeted include the intersection of the Bogue Road and Alice Eldemire Drive; Fairfield Avenue and Barnett Street; the North Coast Highway and Morgan Road intersection; Salt Spring and Green Pond Roadway. The survey will also target the Portobello main road," she added.

Presently, motorists travelling through Montego Bay are forced to endure long delays along the 2.31 kilometres Howard Cooke Boulevard, especially during peak hours.

Ricketts said the surveys are being executed by the National Road Operating and Construction Company (NROCC) and the NWA with the support of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

In January this year, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gloria Henry, called for the fast-tracking of the Montego Bay bypass., which she said was a priority for stakeholders due to the billions of dollars in investment projected for the city over the next five years.

Veteran Montego Bay developer Tony Hart, has been calling for the creation of the bypass for more than a decade, arguing that that there could be major problems in the near future if this is not done, to support ongoing development.