The project comprises a new 24.6 km inland highway delivered in four sections: Lucea (5.85 km), Mosquito Cove (6.43 km), Sandy Bay/Tryall (6.62 km) and Hopewell (5.70 km), together with three link roads to the coast, bringing the total length of new road infrastructure to 33.85 km. The alignment is located approximately 3 km south of the existing coastal road and connects to the Long Hill Bypass at its eastern end, completing a modern highway corridor from Ironshore, around Montego Bay, to the western side of Lucea on the route to Negril. The project is needed because the coastal road is the only transport route between Montego Bay and Negril. In 2020, the Hopewell section carried 12,090 vehicles per day against a design capacity of 9,310, while the Lucea section carried 10,850 vehicles per day. The road serves Hanover’s population of approximately 73,000 residents and the resort areas of Negril, which receive more than 580,000 stay-over visitors annually.
Project overview
Investment opportunity
The project offers two complementary sources of value: a toll road capturing traffic between Sangster International Airport and Negril, and the development potential of coastal land released by the inland alignment. During the March 2026 Budget Debate, the Prime Minister highlighted that relocating the highway inland would unlock the waterfront corridor between Montego Bay and Negril for tourism and real estate development, including plans to position Lucea Harbour as a premium boating destination and consideration of a new town centre for Lucea. The alignment has been identified and costed on a section-by-section basis, and the project was reaffirmed as a national priority in the March 2026 Budget Debate. Investors may participate as development and concession partners in the western extension of the Montego Bay corridor through a toll-road or availability-payment structure combined with development rights, or by providing project preparation finance to support the feasibility, traffic and land studies required to bring the project to market.
Investment types sought
Project status
Development stage
Pre-feasibility
Current status / progress to date
The alignment has been identified and costed on a section-by-section basis, with an estimated cost of US$663.5 million for the four bypass sections and associated link roads. Feasibility studies and preliminary design work were reported as 20% complete in 2023, and the project was reaffirmed during the March 2026 Budget Debate. Traffic studies, a land schedule and an environmental assessment are to be completed as the project advances.
Additional project information
- Lead agency
- National Works Agency (NWA), for the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development
Expected impact
Jobs created / supported
Construction of 33.85 km of highway infrastructure and associated link roads is expected to create employment in civil engineering, earthworks, structural works, materials supply and related services across Hanover and St James. The project is also expected to support additional employment opportunities through the resort and town-centre developments enabled by the new transport corridor. Employment figures will be confirmed through the feasibility study.
Economic & development benefits
- Completes a modern highway corridor from Ironshore, around Montego Bay, to Lucea on the route to Negril
- Relieves pressure on the only road between Montego Bay and Negril, with traffic volumes at Hopewell and Lucea exceeding capacity since 2020
- Unlocks coastal land between Montego Bay and Negril for tourism and resort development and supports the development of Lucea Harbour as a boating destination
- Serves approximately 73,000 residents of Hanover and more than 580,000 stay-over visitors to Negril each year
- Improves access to key tourism assets, including the Tryall and Round Hill estates and the Grand Palladium resort
Climate & resilience benefits
- Moves a strategic transport corridor approximately 3 km inland from a coastal road exposed to storm surge and coastal erosion
- Provides a more resilient route for the Negril and Hanover resort areas during and following severe weather events
- Reduces congestion-related fuel consumption and emissions along the Hanover coastal road
Contact
Contact team
For more information about this project, please contact the Commonwealth Investment Platform team.