MoBay bypass urgently needed - chamber boss

WITH BILLIONS of dollars in investment earmarked for Montego Bay over the next five years, Gloria Henry, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says the construction of the long-awaited Montego Bay bypass needs to come on stream urgently.

"This is being discussed for so long but is now a priority for us as stakeholders," said Henry in an interview with The Gleaner yesterday. "Such infrastructure is critical because at present, we are not operating according to world standards because our tourists have to be waiting for very long periods in traffic."

During a meeting held to discuss the matter last year, Dr Omar Davies, minister of transport, works and housing, promised to conduct a feasibility study on the proposed development road, but to date, there is no word on the results of that analysis.

CURRENT ROUTE

Currently, motorists travelling through the popular seaport city are forced to endure long delays along the 2.31 kilometres Howard Cooke Boulevard and the alternative route, which takes them through the heart of the commercial district. Persons who have used the route through the commercial district have likened it to an obstacle course.

The plan to construct a bypass to avoid the heavy traffic in the western city has been discussed extensively. Businessman Tony Hart, arguably Montego Bay's most renowned developer, has been calling for such infrastructure to be developed for more than a decade. He has argued that there could be major problems in the coming years if this is not done to support ongoing development.