Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, Robert Nesta Morgan, has emphasised the urgent need for a One Road Authority (ORA), noting that it will bring clarity, consistent standards and stronger accountability to how roads are classified, protected, maintained and repaired.

Speaking at the Rotary Club of Kingston’s weekly meeting on Thursday, February 5, Minister Morgan described roads as “the arteries and veins of the economy.”

He noted that “Right now, too many roads fall through the cracks. The One Road Authority will close those cracks”.

Minister Morgan explained that Jamaica has over 27,000 km of roads, but only about 5,000 km are managed by the National Works Agency (NWA). The remainder is divided among Municipal Corporations, private communities, RADA, NROCC, and some “orphan roads” with unclear ownership.

He stated that this fragmented responsibility contributes to uneven standards, slower response and higher lifetime costs.

“When responsibility is unclear, repairs get delayed, standards vary, and costs rise. A road can become a major corridor, but the governance framework doesn’t adjust fast enough”, he emphasised.

Minister Morgan cited Liguanea Avenue as an example of a corridor whose function and traffic demand have outgrown the funding and management structure for a municipal road, noting that it “has now become one of the main connectors between Hope Road and Barbican”.

The proposed One Road Authority aims to establish a modern, enforceable framework for Jamaica’s road network, including:

• Clear rules for road classification (national, municipal/community, farm and private) and when roads should be reclassified
• National standards for drainage, pavement design and rehabilitation methods
• Stronger regulation of excavations and utility cuts, with compliance requirements that protect road integrity
• Accountability mechanisms aimed at reducing “orphan road” outcomes and improving coordination across agencies
• A maintenance-driven approach that supports planning instead of recurring emergency patching

“The ORA will help Jamaica to protect its road investment with stronger standards, stronger oversight, and clearer responsibility,” the minister stated.

Turning to road standards under the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) Programme, Minister Morgan stated that higher quality road rehabilitation can cost more but is designed to last longer and reduce repeat spending.

“The country is moving towards a quality model, proper drainage, correct base preparation and performance expectations. This is how you stop paying twice for the same road”, he said

Minister Morgan further noted that Cabinet has approved the establishment of the One Road Authority, and the government will advance the detailed implementation framework through the required stages, including stakeholder engagement and legislative and administrative steps.