Durrant Pate/Contributor

Finally the new leg of Highway 2000, from May Pen in Clarendon to Williamsfield in Manchester, being opened next Thursday, September 14.

Opening of the US$188-million, 28 kilometres of four-lane rural arterial divided highway from May Pen to Melrose Hill, Manchester, as well as the upgrade of approximately five kilometres of the existing Melrose Hill Bypass to a four-lane rural arterial divided highway, was originally slated to take place last month but was pushed back for another month. This is further to the delays having originally scheduled to be completed over a three year period from design stage in 2019 to October 2022 but the work has dragged on into this month.

Dubbed the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP) Part A – May Pen to Williamsfield should see the driving time from Kingston to Williamsfield cut to about 40 minutes and between May Pen and Williamsfield to approximately 15 minutes.  

The new leg of the highway starts from the Rio Minho Bridge in Clarendon going all the way into Williamsfield, Manchester. At the beginning of the highway is the largest four-lane bridge in Jamaica, which was constructed “higher and wider” to better prevent the water level reaching the underside decking during major rain events. 

There were over 183 parcels of land that were acquired for the construction of the roadway, including about 60 houses and structures, in addition to the relocation of about 75 graves to cemeteries.