Extending Highway 2000 without strategy risks is extending the problem

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I am writing to question the Government’s intention to extend Highway 2000 from Williamsfield to Montego Bay – not in opposition to development, but in the interest of smarter, more strategic planning.

When Highway 2000 was conceptualised under P. J. Patterson in the late 1990s, it was designed to transform mobility between Jamaica’s major economic centres. Since its opening in 2003, it has largely achieved that goal. Travel between Kingston, May Pen, and Mandeville has improved significantly, benefiting both commuters and commerce.

However, the same cannot be said for the route between Mandeville and Montego Bay. The existing corridor through Spur Tree Hill, Santa Cruz, and Black River remains severely congested. Travel times can stretch to three hours during peak periods, with expanding towns worsening the situation. What should be a vital economic link has become a daily frustration.

The proposed extension westward may provide relief, but it raises a deeper question: Is this the most effective use of limited resources?

A more balanced approach to highway expansion is urgently needed. Alternative routes – such as corridors linking Williamsfield to Brown’s Town in St Ann or to Clark’s Town in Trelawny – could open up interior regions, reduce pressure on existing roads, and stimulate broader economic activity. Development must not only be faster; it must be wiser.

Chartered accountant Dennis Chung pointed out that infrastructure expansion is central to economic growth. Countries that have invested in integrated highway networks have seen significant gains in productivity and trade. The experience of the United States – particularly its interstate system following the Great Depression – demonstrates how strategic infrastructure can reshape an economy.

In this context, Minister Robert Morgan must provide clear timelines and, more importantly, a transparent rationale for the chosen route. Jamaicans deserve to know not only what is being built, but why.

The current administration has inherited a bold vision. The challenge now is to ensure that expansion is guided by national need, not convenience.

If Jamaica is serious about growth, then we must move beyond extending highways – and begin designing a truly integrated network.

DUDLEY MCLEAN II