Phase 1A is the western and larger phase of a new 55 km four-lane divided toll highway across St Ann, inland of the congested North Coast Highway. It begins where the existing North-South toll highway ends at Mammee Bay and extends 37.5 km west to Discovery Bay, bypassing St Ann’s Bay, Runaway Bay and Discovery Bay, with interchanges connecting to the North-South Highway and Browns Town Road. The highway will comprise four 3.65 m lanes with 2.4 m shoulders, a median barrier and fibre-optic ducts for tolling and broadband infrastructure. The project is needed because the coastal road is the only east-west route along Jamaica’s main tourism corridor. In 2020, the Salem to Mammee Bay section carried 20,136 vehicles per day against a design capacity of 10,640, while the Discovery Bay to Salem section carried 15,597 vehicles per day. NROCC expects approximately 30% of daily traffic to divert to the new highway.
Project overview
Investment opportunity
The extension will build on the established tolling system, operator and customer base of the North-South Highway, which has demonstrated motorists’ willingness to pay for improved journey times along Jamaica’s north coast. Sections of the North Coast Highway currently carry traffic volumes approaching twice their design capacity, while the corridor serves major tourism, airport and cruise port destinations. Project preparation is well advanced, with preliminary design drawings, a bill of quantities, a financing plan, a land schedule and a no-objection from the National Environment and Planning Agency, subject to permits, already completed. Detailed feasibility studies are currently being finalised. A memorandum of understanding signed in August 2025 with China Harbour Engineering Company covers the feasibility and design-build phases. Financing and concession opportunities remain open. Investors may participate as concessionaires, equity investors, debt financiers, or providers of project preparation finance to support the completion of feasibility and transaction structuring.
Investment types sought
Project status
Development stage
Feasibility & due diligence
Current status / progress to date
Preliminary design drawings and a bill of quantities have been prepared, and detailed feasibility studies are being finalised. The project concept was submitted to the Public Investment Appraisal Branch in October 2025, and a no-objection has been received from the National Environment and Planning Agency, subject to permits. A total of 512 land parcels have been identified across both phases, and a memorandum of understanding has been signed with CHEC covering the feasibility and design-build phases. Financing and concession opportunities remain open.
Additional project information
- Lead agency
- National Road Operating and Constructing Company Limited (NROCC)
Expected impact
Jobs created / supported
Construction over a 42-month period is expected to create employment in civil engineering, earthworks, structural works, materials supply and related services across St Ann. Upon completion, the project will support permanent employment in toll road operations and highway maintenance. Employment figures will be confirmed through the detailed feasibility study.
Economic & development benefits
- Relieves pressure on a coastal road carrying nearly double its design capacity along Jamaica's principal tourism corridor
- Extends the North-South Highway toll road, improving connectivity between Kingston, the airport and the resort towns of St Ann
- Bypasses St Ann's Bay, Runaway Bay and Discovery Bay, allowing the coastal road to better serve local traffic
- Provides fibre-optic ducts to support tolling and broadband infrastructure along the corridor
- Delivers 37.5 km of modern highway infrastructure with preliminary design, a bill of quantities and a land schedule already prepared
Climate & resilience benefits
- Provides an inland alternative to a coastal road exposed to storm surge and coastal erosion
- Reduces congestion-related fuel consumption and emissions on the North Coast Highway
- Environmental screening has been completed, and a no-objection has been received from the National Environment and Planning Agency, subject to permits
Contact
Contact team
For more information about this project, please contact the Commonwealth Investment Platform team.