Morgan: Western Jamaica to benefit most from Accelerated Bridge Project

WESTERN BUREAU: 

Robert Nesta Morgan, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, says that Cabinet has approved an Accelerated Bridge Project that will see more than 50 bridges rebuilt across Jamaica over the next two and a half years.

Speaking at Friday’s official opening of the new Troy Bridge in Trelawny, Morgan said the initiative represents a deliberate national effort to strengthen Jamaica’s infrastructure resilience in the wake of increasingly severe weather events.

“Today, we are not just marking the completion of a project; we're reconnecting communities and restoring access, and more importantly, we have built a bridge that is built to last,” said Morgan.

According to Morgan, the new structure, which replaces the century-old Troy Bridge washed away by Tropical Storm Grace in August 2021, was tested by multiple weather systems during its construction phase and proved to be durable.

“When we signed the contract, we had Beryl. When we started building, we had Rafael, and just as we finished building the bridge, it was tested by Melissa,” he said.

Morgan described the completed structure as a symbol of resilience, stating that it “stood in the middle of the river” and “could not be moved”, even as surrounding areas were affected by flooding.

According to Morgan, the Government had deliberately instructed engineers to design the structure for long-term durability.

“This bridge must stand the test of time, and it must be built for resilience,” said Morgan, who said he expected the new bridge to last for “at least another 150 years”.

He further noted that the bridge project reflects a wider shift in infrastructure planning, noting that Jamaica has some 875 bridges under the management of the National Works Agency, many of which are ageing and increasingly vulnerable to climate impacts.

He said the Accelerated Bridge Project will target replacements across multiple parishes, with a strong focus on western Jamaica, which was significantly impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

“A majority of the bridges that are going to be built over the next two years and a half will be built in those parishes,” he said. “This is not an accident. It represents the thinking of your government, a deliberate approach to ensure that we're building Jamaica stronger post Melissa.”

 “I put it to the people in this audience that no other government, no other prime minister, no other minister of works has ever built 55 bridges at one time in the history of Jamaica,” in speaking to the plans for the new bridges over the next two to three years.

In January 2025, the United Kingdom (UK) reaffirmed its commitment to Jamaica’s infrastructural development through a multimillion-dollar Accelerated Bridge Renewal Programme.

Financed by UK Export Finance, the initiative will see the replacement of approximately 55 bridges across the island, enhancing connectivity, public safety, and economic growth.

The Rock Bridge on the outskirts of Falmouth, Trelawny, was among those named to be repaired under the initiative.

In speaking to the need to build resilient structures going forward, Morgan said that infrastructure development directly affects citizens’ daily lives.

“Infrastructure has a real impact on people's lives. A bridge is not just a bridge. A bridge is a connector of communities, parishes, and people,” he said.

He also announced a $280-million road rehabilitation project under the SPARK Main Road Programme for the Troy to Warsop corridor, describing it as part of a broader push to improve rural road networks.

“We will be doing major road infrastructure upgrading, not patching, on the Troy to Warsop road at the value of $280 million,” Morgan said. “Additional infrastructure projects will be announced in the coming weeks as part of ongoing national development efforts.”

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com